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– Alain Madelin believes that we are currently witnessing “the end of the Santa Claus State”.
Calls for strikes from unions in different sectors of activity have increased in recent days, suggesting a explosive month of November. Invited on the set of BFM TV, Monday November 11, to comment on this particularly tense news, the former Minister of the Economy Alain Madelin described as «grave» the “political situation” current situation in the country. “In reality, what we're seeing is really the end of the Santa Claus state. We passed from 'always more' to 'always less'»he judged.
The former right-wing MEP continued by comparing France to a plum tree. “It's a bit like a plum tree, we've seen the last fruits fallen, and we say to ourselves we just have to shake it to get a little more, the last ones, and so we arrive at this period where we're going to shake the plum tree to see what's there”explained the 78-year-old politician.
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The government facing social discontent
Among the upcoming mobilizations, that of the air sector will take place this Thursday. The National Union of Line Pilots (SNPL) has in fact filed a strike notice in order to protest against the increase in solidarity tax on plane tickets (TSBA), provided for in the 2025 finance bill. Farmers will also make their anger heard again. In mid-October, the majority agricultural union alliance FNSEA/Jeunes Agriculteurs called for “a resumption of shares from November 15” throughout the territory. The Rural Coordination union in Lot-et-Garonne (CR47) has, for its part, announced a new mobilization from November 19 and wishes to block rail freight.
A dark day is then to be feared in transport November 21st. All the SNCF unions have in fact called for a 24-hour strike on Thursday, November 21, following a meeting with the management of the railway group to discuss the dismantling of Fret SNCF and the opening to competition. The CGT-Cheminots, Unsa-Ferroviaire, Sud-Rail and the CFDT-Cheminots have warned that this strike day is “an ultimatum” avant “a strike movement longer and stronger in December» if the government and the SNCF do not respond to their demands.
