French Public Stands Behind Protests Against New Labor Law

Abstract

With French young people in the streets protesting a new law that will allow employers to fire workers under age 26 without review, French public opinion polls indicate that the French public is largely standing behind the protestors. This resistance to removing state protections appears to be related to a broader distrust: in a recent global poll, the French public was the most skeptical of the free market system compared to other countries. France is also one of the most negative countries in their assessment of their country's economic conditions and the world economy, although French youth are quite optimistic about their own personal prospects.