France’s government is mulling whether to scrap a national holiday and make people work instead to finance better care for the elderly — the main victims of the recent heat wave estimated to have killed thousands.
The idea — radical in a country where leisure time is sacrosanct — provoked an immediate split of opinion. The head of the leading business federation called it ”fantastic!” A leading Communist Party lawmaker was outraged.
Hubert Falco, Secretary of State for the Elderly, said no decision has been made on which of France’s 11 national holidays could be abolished but confirmed that the idea is being considered.
Under the scheme, an extra work day each year would generate revenue for the government to better finance elderly care.
”It’s one of the possibilities, among many others, to try to find genuine solidarity in the nation,” he said on Wednesday after a Cabinet meeting.
”It would be … a holiday that would be worked to the advantage of national solidarity.”
Another minister, Secretary of State for Handicapped People Marie-Therese Boisseau, suggested that the Monday holiday after Pentecost should go. Transport Secretary Dominique Bussereau said he opposed abolishing May 8, the end of World War II in Europe, or Armistice Day on November 11, when fighting stopped in World War I, or Christmas.
”Definitely not May 8, because it left quite a few memories; not December 25 because I want Christmas presents,” he said.
France’s embattled center-right government, assailed by criticism that it reacted too slowly to this month’s deadly heat wave, is scrambling for solutions to improve care for the elderly and patch up failings in a health system that struggled with a deluge of heat-stricken victims.
But scrapping a national holiday would likely go against the grain of many in France, where labour laws passed by the previous Socialist government restricted the working week for many to 35 hours. Abolishing a religious holiday could upset the faithful.
Getting rid of May 8 or November 11 could rile army veterans.
Abolishing May 1 Labor Day risks outraging powerful trade unions.
But Ernest-Antoine Seilliere, president of Medef, France’s leading business federation, which opposed the 35-hour week, welcomed the idea.
”It’s fantastic. The idea that we can solve problems by working more is a big first for our country,” he said.
”We will solve our problems only if we work more and we all know that the time has passed for the illusion that we can be more united and make the French system function all while eyeing leisure time.”
Alain Bocquet, head of the Communist group at the French Parliament, however, was up in arms.
”There’s no question of touching holidays!” he thundered.
”There’s no question of erasing May 8 and the memory of victory over Nazi barbarity and fascism! There’s no question of making May 1 ‘Medef day’.” — Sapa-AP