Work More to Earn Less - France’s New Revolution: Lionel Laurent

There’s been only one topic of conversation in the brasseries of France this week: Prime Minister Francois Bayrou’s proposal to scrap two of three public holidays in the month of May to contain the spiraling budget deficit. In the land of the 35-hour work week, this is tantamount to treason. Most of the public seems to hate it, unions have called it a declaration of war and the far right has called it a provocation.

The outrage is a little overdone. Knocking off two public holidays would leave the French with nine, which looks positively Germanic — until you add their 25 paid vacation days, which gets France ...