In a poll out this weekend (by Odoxa for Le Parisien newspaper) 67% of respondents say they have an unfavourable opinion of Phillipe Martinez, the general secretary of the CGT, whose union is spearheading the opposition to the proposed labour law reform.
Whilst French people generally agree with the right to strike, now only 42% are now in agreement with the actions being taken, and 66% of those asked fear a complete paralysis of the country.
Emmanuel Macron, the controversial Finance Minister seen as a right winger by most of the left, was confronted by CGT strikers yesterday. During heated exchanges the Minister suggested that France was being blocked by the demonstrators, not by the new laws. One presumably unemployed person remarked on M Macron's "3000 euro suit", to which he replied "the best way to pay for a suit is to get a job". Not too reassuring when unemployment is at 10%. M Macron was an investment banker before joining the government.
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