200,000 march against employment laws

More than 200,000 protesters poured onto France’s streets and striking workers crippled transport services today in a mass effort to pressure embattled Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin to withdraw a contested new jobs contract for youths.

Cracks opened in his conservative government as public pressure mounted, with Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy suggesting that the contract be suspended to allow talks with unions, in a clear break with Villepin.

Paris and other cities deployed thousands of police to prevent a possible resurgence of violence that marred previous demonstrations against the contract, which would make it easier for companies to fire young workers. Protest marches took place in scores of cities and towns.

“We have to defend the rights that were won by our ancestors and which the current government is trying to take away,” said Maxime Ourly, a literature student who joined tens of thousands protesting on Paris’ Left Bank.

Some isolated skirmishes broke out at the end of the march route.

Riot police fired tear gas at groups of youths throwing traffic cones and other objects as marchers reached the end point at the Place de la Republique.

They made forays into the crowd to round up troublemakers.

Some 50 baton-wielding security guards from one of the biggest unions clashed with a group of young people who tried to break the iron gates on a lingerie store.

Students and labour unions say the contract will erode France’s cherished workplace protections. Set to take effect next month, it would let companies fire employees aged under 26 without reason in the first two years on the job.

Even with huge marches under way, Villepin held firm. He told parliament that he was open to talks on employment and possible changes to the contract but did not say that he would withdraw it.

“Only in action will we convince all of the French that tomorrow can be better than today,” he said, loudly heckled by opposition politicians.

Villepin says the greater flexibility will encourage companies to hire young workers, who face a 22% unemployment rate – the highest in Western Europe.

But as protests have grown, his government – and chances of running for the presidency next year – have appeared increasingly fragile.

Sarkozy, the interior minister also gunning to be the conservative camp’s presidential candidate, told a meeting of politicians from the ruling UMP party today that the contract should not go into force as long as talks to resolve the crisis are still possible, his aides said.

Villepin’s sputtering effort at reform underscores the dilemma facing many countries in Europe that have lush jobs protections and social safety nets under threat by competition from fast-rising Asian economies with cheaper labour and fewer workplace protections.

According to police estimates, 31,000 marched Tuesday in the south-western city of Bordeaux, 28,000 in the southern port city of Marseille, 26,000 in the Alpine city of Grenoble, 17,000 in Lyon and more than 120,000 in nearly a dozen other cities and towns.

Protesters in Paris said they wanted to defend the status quo.

“We are here for our children. We are very worried about what will happen to them,” said Philippe Decrulle, an Air France flight attendant. “My son is 23, and he has no job. That is normal in France.”

Light rain did not dampen the festive atmosphere, with red union flags and balloons floating over the marchers and stands selling them sausages.

Police deployed against troublemakers, fearing a repeat of the violence at a march last week when suburban youths attacked peaceful demonstrators and police.

Sarkozy, meeting with police officers before the Paris march got under way, urged them to arrest as many troublemakers as possible.

“It will be another difficult day. You will be judged on the number of arrests and on your cool,” he said.

The strike slowed train, plane, subway and bus services across the country to a fraction of their normal levels. It was the first time that unions had ordered walkouts in solidarity with students spearheading protests against the job contract.

France’s top five labour union federations also refused Villepin’s invitation to meet Wednesday for talks, insisting that he shelve the contract first.

President Jacques Chirac cancelled a planned trip Tuesday to the northern port city of Le Havre “in light of events,” his office said.