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Cameroon's President seeks an eighth term at the age of 92
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Local France
11 hours ago
- Local France
French prime minister calls for scrapping of two public holidays in austerity budget
The PM on Tuesday afternoon gave a press conference outlining his plans to get a grip on the country's public spending. Among other measures he called on the French to "work more" and suggested abolishing two of France's 11 annual public holidays (or 13 for people who live in the historic Alsace Lorraine region). He called on the "whole nation to work more" and said he would be suggesting the abolition of two jours fériés - as examples, he cited May 8th (VE Day) and Easter Monday, but insisted "these are proposals". According to a Senate report published last September, cancelling one public holiday would generate €2.4 billion a year. Advertisement At present France has 11 public holidays a year ranging from the secular such as the July 14th Fête nationale and VE Day to the historic Catholic holidays like Ascension and Assumption. Those living in the Alsace Lorraine area get two extra holidays - St Stephens Day on December 26th and Good Friday (the Friday before Easter) - for historic reasons relating to their change in ownership between France and Germany. The most recent public holiday to be scrapped was Pentecost - which was axed as an official ' jour férié ' in 2005 but now has an ambiguous status in which some workers get the day off and others don't. The idea of scrapping a holiday in order to save money was considered but rejected by Bayrou's predecessor Michel Barnier. Bayrou was presenting the outline of his plan to save €40 billion - the debates on the Budget will then begin in parliament in the autumn with the state spending plan normally passed before the parliamentary session ends for Christmas. The public holiday changes would be part of the full Budget presented to parliament for debate. However MPs could bring down another government if enough of them vote instead for a motion of no-confidence in Bayrou over the spending plans.
Local France
11 hours ago
- Local France
France's PM aims to lower deficit to 4.6% of GDP by next year
France is under pressure to bring its public deficit under three percent of GDP as required under EU rules. The centrist premier said the government aimed to bring the deficit down from 5.8 percent last year to below 4.6 percent next year and to under three percent by 2029. To achieve this, measures would include a freeze on expenses, except for debt servicing and the defence sector. Advertisement Bayrou also suggested making people work on Easter Monday and on May 8 th, a day that commemorates Victory in Europe at the end of World War II, though adding he was open to other options. However Bayrou's position remains fragile and his government could be brought down if enough MPs vote in favour of a motion of no confidence once the parliamentary budget debates begin in the autumn. President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday said defence spending should rise by €3.5 billion in 2026, and then by a further three billion euros in 2027. France has a defence budget of €50.5 billion for 2025.
France 24
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'Worse than murder': Ireland's dark history of criminalisation and diabolisation of unwed mothers
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