, Columnist
A New Way to Work Could Revitalize the French Economy
Workers are stuck in two tiers: permanent and transient. The president proposes something in between.
Emmanuel Macron, France's president, hopes to blur the line between the haves from the have-nots in the labor market.
Photographer: Photographer: Lisi Niesner/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
President Emmanuel Macron has finally entered the crucible. At last, he has introduced his bill to reform French labor markets, which might prove the most important act of his presidency both politically and economically.
Most of the commentary has focused on the provisions that tackle some of the more egregious red tape in this famously worker-friendly economy. For instance, each business now must have three workers’ councils; under the reform, those would be merged into one.