Spanish:
 
|
France is going through a 'deep, moral, social and political crisis:' Lang
AFP
LONDON
Petroleumworld.com 03 25 06France, hit by protests over a proposed new youth jobs contract, is stuck in a "deep, moral, social and political crisis," leading French Socialist politician Jack Lang told British television.
Lang, a former culture minister, told BBC Newsnight on Friday that France was groping for answers to broader issues than just the contract when asked if the problem was that French leaders failed to stand by their job proposal.
"In our country today there is a deep, moral, social and political crisis. It's not only a question of contract. It's a question much more important," Lang said.
"The confidence of people has disappeared. And we have to change many, many things. And the moral authority of the government is very weak," he said.
"And today I think that they had to decide to stop their decision. And after we will open a dialogue with the trade unions, with the companies, with the young people to imagine a new policy," he said.
"But today all the things are completely blocked by a very bad political situation," Lang said.
He hoped that the presidential elections next year would bring the remedies France needs. "I hope there will be a great change in our country," he said.
Lang declared last July that he intends to stand in France's 2007 presidential elections.
Unions and student groups have staged two weeks of protests against the CPE -- a contract for under 26 year-olds that can be terminated during a two year trial period without justification -- and a new day of strikes and demonstrations is planned for Tuesday.
During the same interview, Lang also said that France had little influence in Europe in the wake of the French referendum defeat on the EU constitution but the broader problem was there is "no real strong leader in Europe."
- 03/24/2006 22:43 - AFPCopyright © 1994-2006 Agence France-Presse. All Rights Reserved.
Your
feedback is important to us!
We invite all our readers to share with us
their views and comments about this article.
Write to editor@petroleumworld.com
Any
question or suggestions, please write to:
editor@petroleumworld.com
Best
Viewed with IE
5.01+
Windows
NT 4.0, '95, '98 and ME +/ 800x600 pixels