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Youth Job Contract Splits Views in France
(Angus Reid Global Scan) - Adults in France are divided on a solution for a highly contentious topic, according to two recent public opinion polls. In a survey by Ipsos for LCI, 67 per cent of respondents urge the government to suspend the First Employment Contract (CPE) and start negotiations to modify its text.
In a study by CSA published in Le Parisien, 42 per cent of respondents support suspending the CPE until a solution is achieved, 41 per cent call for its cancellation, and 12 per cent believe it should be kept as it is.
Earlier this year, French prime minister Dominique de Villepin promoted the CPE—a new type of job contract to encourage companies to employ younger workers. However, students have protested over the fact that, under the new plan, anyone under 26 would require a two-year trial period before signing an indefinite contract.
On Mar. 31 in a long-awaited speech, French president Jacques Chirac said, "I am asking the government to prepare immediately two modifications to the law, on the points which have given rise to debate: the (trial) period of two years will be reduced to one year, and if a contract is terminated, the right of young workers to know the reasons will be written into the new law."
Yesterday, former finance minister and Socialist party (PS) member Dominique Strauss-Kahn criticized Chirac's solution, saying, "(The young workers) don't want just a trial period shortened from two to one year. They want their work contract to be the same as other workers."
France's unemployment rate stands at 9.2 per cent, but the youth unemployment rate is higher than 20 per cent.
Polling Data
a) Which solution do you find most favourable?
The government must suspend the CPE | 67% |
The labour unions must agree to negotiate | 29% |
Undecided | 1% |
Source: Ipsos / LCI
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 804 French adults, conducted on Mar. 29, 2006. No margin of error was provided.
b) What would you prefer?
Keeping the CPE as it is | 12% |
Suspending the CPE until a solution is achieved | 42% |
Cancelling the CPE altogether | 41% |
No opinion | 5% |
Source: CSA / Le Parisien
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 907 French adults, conducted on Mar. 29, 2006. No margin of error was provided.