France Scraps Youth Job Law

France has dumped its controversial CPE, or First Job Contract, after months of politically costly protests. French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin claimed that the law, which was to make it easier to fire employees aged under 26, would reduce the youth unemployment rate, but opponents argued that it would only further job instability for young people, already facing an increasingly uncertain job market, given the advent of casualisation. Other ways of addressing youth unemployment are now being explored, such as providing financial incentives to employers. de Villepin himself has seen his popularity drop to 25% amidst the protests, and rumours continue that he may quit following his handling of the crisis.

John Howard, are you listening?