Tuesday saw a stunning victory, albeit temporary, for the opposition in the National Assembly, beating the government by one vote in a motion to reject the reading of a bill on controls on genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Seems the government were caught by surprise, with scores of MPs absent from the chamber. It didn't take long for Sarko and Fillon to whip the troops into action though - the reading was pushed through the next day and the environment minister made a hasty appearance on the main TV news the next day, bleating on about how the bill would give France the most restrictive GM laws in the world.
Meanwhile discontent in the education sector rumbles on. Teachers held a one-day strike yesterday to protest against cuts & low pay. The government have been trying to push the idea of maintaining le service minimum (ensuring that pupils are able to attend school when there's a strike, even if there are no lessons), and in Lyon the mairie of the 2nd arrondissement (one of the two out of nine which are controlled by the right wing) attempted to maintain le service minimum themselves. They managed to keep one school open & 30 odd kids out of 130 turned up in the morning. By afternoon the number had dropped to 20...
One notable thing about the education protests is that the pupils themselves (the older ones anyway) have been taking a leading role, with regular marches & demonstrations supporting their teachers. Something of a contrast with attitudes in the UK I suspect. Can't imagine the recent strike in England was greeted by anything but delight at having a bonus day off by most schoolkids there. Would I be wrong...?
