Friday 27 December 2013

HOLLANDE HOPES, BUT FRANCE DESPAIRS !


Since his Presidential Election Victory 18 months ago, with the help of his 60 Promises of what he was going to do, François Hollande still clings to the hope that the official Unemployment Figures at the end of the year 2013 will finally decline !

The official figures which have just been published for November 2013 reveal an increase of unemployed workers of 17,800, bringing the total out of work to  3,293,000 (5,6% more since last year).  

Alas unofficial "leaks" indicate that statistics for December 2013 will again be unfavourable when they are finally published later in January 2014 !
  
There is a ground swell of criticism from all quarters:

     -  Trade Unions, the backbone of the Socialist Party,  are on the warpath.
     -  Small businessmen complain that the cost of new workers is too high due to Social Charges. Many more small businesses are closing now than ever before.  
     -  Turnover tax rates will increase in the New Year to cover National Budget deficits.
     -  Living Expenses, in particular transport costs, are all slowly rising.

In particular the Government has been criticised for not reducing its operating costs and that this has obliged it to increase taxes.  Private industry has had to cut its costs to survive or remain on a profitable basis.

Everyone is now awaiting the annual "New Year Message" from the President !  What good news has he to announce ?  One hardly dare wonder !

After that, the next big televised occasion will be on the 14th of January 2014 when President Hollande will be interviewed by the Press.  This press conference has already been postponed from the initial date of the 15th of November. 

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