French PM Says Gov’t Not to Back Down on Labor Reforms
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – French Prime Minister Manuel Valls said Wednesday the government would not back down on its contested labor reforms and urged the hardline CGT union to stop organizing mass rallies against them in Paris after violence at demos Tuesday.
"We cannot have a general ban (on demos), but we will take our responsibilities," Valls said on France Inter radio a day after gangs of masked youth clashed with riot police during a march in Paris, Reuters reported.
"We can no longer have this disgraceful show with things getting out of control," Valls added.
On Tuesday, French police arrested at least 58 people in Paris as student groups and unions once again marched against contested labor reforms.
Tens of thousands of people rallied in the French capital and across the country as unions and student groups refused to yield in a months-long labor row.French unions said 1 million protesters had converged in Paris, while police offered a much lower estimate for participation between 75,000 and 80,000 people.
Law enforcement authorities said that “several hundred masked individuals” had thrown objects at riot police shortly after the march started in the south of Paris.
Unions and student unions have decried the reforms they say weaken job security and will only increase unemployment.
The government pushed the law through parliament without a debate or vote in May, fearful its bill would not garner enough support from MPs.
