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June 5, 2006
French Refuse to Work on Repealed Holiday
Today marks a minor milestone in the collapse of French President Jacques Chirac's authority, as French citizens ignore the fact that one of their 11 bank holidays, Whit Monday, has been officially repealed.
Those refusing to work include whole government ministries. Schools, post offices, and museums were closed. In what remains of the private sector, about half of businesses were expected to open.
The famous French competence that inspired the character Inspector Clouseau has once again been in evidence. The Finance Ministry told road haulage operations to conduct business as usual, but the Transportation Ministry has banned trailer trucks for the day. Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin admits that the situation is producing "difficulties and perhaps even incoherence."
Rescinding Whit Monday as an official holiday was occasioned by the heat wave of 2003, which killed thousands of elderly people in France. Working an extra day was supposed to offset a 0.3% corporate tax, with the proceeds to be flushed down the bureaucracy in the name of the old and the disabled. But it's one thing to crank up business taxes even higher, and quite another to get the French to show up for work on a day they're used to having off.
The good news for Chirac is that the chaos can't hurt his approval ratings much. When you're down to 17%, how much lower can you go?
Posted by Van Helsing at June 5, 2006 4:27 PM
Comments
"difficulties and perhaps even incoherence."
Ah, hahahahaha
Posted by: Mickey at June 5, 2006 7:37 PM
