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| Sarkozy defiant against strikers | |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| French President Nicolas Sarkozy has vowed to maintain his controversial economic reforms despite a second week of crippling industrial action. | French President Nicolas Sarkozy has vowed to maintain his controversial economic reforms despite a second week of crippling industrial action. |
| He said the reforms were overdue and that they were necessary "to confront the challenges set by the world". | He said the reforms were overdue and that they were necessary "to confront the challenges set by the world". |
| Hundreds of thousands of civil servants joined striking transport and energy workers on Tuesday over the proposals. | Hundreds of thousands of civil servants joined striking transport and energy workers on Tuesday over the proposals. |
| The 24-hour action is said to be the largest protest against Mr Sarkozy's reforms since he took power in May. | The 24-hour action is said to be the largest protest against Mr Sarkozy's reforms since he took power in May. |
| In his first comments since the stoppage began, Mr Sarkozy said: "These reforms have been put off for too long. | In his first comments since the stoppage began, Mr Sarkozy said: "These reforms have been put off for too long. |
| "After so much hesitation, so much procrastination, so many U-turns, a complete break is now needed to stop the decline." | |
| Adopting a defiant stance, he said French voters gave him a mandate to carry out economic reforms when they elected him. | Adopting a defiant stance, he said French voters gave him a mandate to carry out economic reforms when they elected him. |
| "This clean break I promised to the French during the election campaign. The French approved it," the president said in a speech to an assembly of mayors. | |
| "We will not surrender and we will not retreat," Mr Sarkozy added. | "We will not surrender and we will not retreat," Mr Sarkozy added. |
| Analysts say Mr Sarkozy is attempting to succeed where his predecessor Jacques Chirac failed, by standing firm against the strikers and completing his reforms. | Analysts say Mr Sarkozy is attempting to succeed where his predecessor Jacques Chirac failed, by standing firm against the strikers and completing his reforms. |
| Opinion polls suggest voters back the French leader's plans to reform "special" pensions which allow transport and utility workers to retire early, but that civil servants have the sympathy of a majority of people. | |
| Commuter chaos | Commuter chaos |
| Teachers, postal workers, air traffic controllers and hospital staff launched a 24-hour stoppage on Tuesday over planned job cuts and higher wage demands, as students continued to demonstrate over university funding plans. | Teachers, postal workers, air traffic controllers and hospital staff launched a 24-hour stoppage on Tuesday over planned job cuts and higher wage demands, as students continued to demonstrate over university funding plans. |
| STRIKERS' GRIPES Teachers, civil servants oppose job cuts and want more payNewspaper distributors angry at planned restructuringTransport workers on strike for a week over pension reformsStudents protest at changes they say could exclude poor | |
| Many thousands joined street protests in Paris, Rouen, Strasbourg, Marseille, Grenoble, Lyon and other cities. | |
| The latest nationwide stoppage left many schools closed, hospitals providing a reduced service and newsagents without newspapers. | The latest nationwide stoppage left many schools closed, hospitals providing a reduced service and newsagents without newspapers. |
| The French capital's two airports and Marseille airport in the south suffered delays and cancellations. | The French capital's two airports and Marseille airport in the south suffered delays and cancellations. |
| Finance Minister Christine Lagarde said the dispute was costing France up to 400m euros (£290m) a day. | Finance Minister Christine Lagarde said the dispute was costing France up to 400m euros (£290m) a day. |
| Some are upset over plans to grant universities more autonomyThe CGT union representing French energy workers, who began a 24-hour strike on Monday night, said they had cut nearly 9% of capacity at nuclear plants. | |
| Rail and bus workers are on their seventh day of an indefinite stoppage against planned pension cuts. | |
| Half of the country's high-speed TGV trains were operating on Tuesday, while in Paris only one metro train in three was in service and less than half of buses were running. | Half of the country's high-speed TGV trains were operating on Tuesday, while in Paris only one metro train in three was in service and less than half of buses were running. |
| State rail operator SNCF, which is due to hold talks with transport unions on Wednesday, says the number of its workers on strike had fallen since last week. | |
| But with traffic gridlock on Tuesday, the stoppage still caused havoc for millions of commuters across France. | |
| Talks to restart | |
| Eight unions representing 5.2 million state employees - around a quarter of the entire workforce - say their spending power has fallen 6% since 2000, though the government disputes that figure. | |
| They also oppose plans to cut 23,000 jobs in 2008, half in education. | |
| Students are continuing to disrupt classes in half of the country's 85 universities. | |
| 'SPECIAL' PENSIONS SYSTEM Benefits 1.6m workers, including 1.1m retireesApplies in 16 sectors, of which rail and utilities employees make up 360,000 peopleAccount for 6% of total state pension paymentsShortfall costs state 5bn euros (£3.5bn; $6.9bn) a yearSome workers can retire on full pensions aged 50Awarded to Paris Opera House workers in 1698 by Louis XIV Can street protests succeed? Solidarity amid French crisis | |
| They have been protesting since the start of November over plans to let faculties pursue non-government funding. | |
| The transport workers' strike was triggered by plans to scrap "special" pensions privileges enjoyed by half a million staff. | |
| Transport unions voted on Monday to extend their walkout, but have agreed to attend talks with SNCF on Wednesday. | |
| The government has relaxed its earlier stance that it would not enter talks unless strikers return to work. | |
| On Monday Prime Minister Francois Fillon said rail traffic must "progressively restart" for talks to take place. | |
| But he insisted the government would not budge on its commitment to overhaul the French economy saying it had a mandate to reform. | |
| Will you be affected by the strike, or are you taking part in it? Send us your comments on this story by filling out the form below. | Will you be affected by the strike, or are you taking part in it? Send us your comments on this story by filling out the form below. |