Sarkozy backtracks on reforms to avoid the 'Greek Tragedy' in France

Paris: French President Nicolas SarkozyFrench President Nicolas Sarkozy is backtracking on flag-ship reforms, a year and a half after he came to power on a platform of sweeping changes, fearing the student protests and the party revolt will turn into a social explosion. He wants to stop the 'contamination from Athens' at any cost.

Weeks of student protests forced Sarkozy’s government to put a plan for high school education reform on ice amid fears that opposition from the streets could spread social unrest like that seen in Greece.
Education Minister Xavier DarcosXavier Darcos announced late on Monday that he is delaying for a year a broad overhaul of the school curriculum, a move seen as the first major retreat from reform since Sarkozy took office in May 2007.
Despite the announcement, students staged protests in dozens of Paris high schools and unions decided to go ahead with scheduled nationwide marches yesterday and tomorrow to demand the plan be fully scrapped.

Sarkozy’s reform drive also came under attack when a group of MPs of his governing right-wing party refused to back a bill allowing shops to open on Sundays, forcing him to agree to a watered-down version of the legislation. Src:AFP