L’Edito de Raphaël Legendre : Le faux débat du travail le premier mai - 10/04
·3 min
The episode opens with Raphaël Legendre questioning whether France works enough, linking it to a bill being examined by deputies. This bill, brought by Renaissance, aims to soften prohibitions on working May 1st for shops like bakeries and florists, as well as cultural activities. It originated from a Senate vote in July 2025 and was revived by Gabriel Attal, angering trade unions. The bill allows work if employees volunteer and receive double pay, covering 1.4 million workers. Legendre notes the bill arose after inspectors fined businesses for having volunteers work on May 1st, sparking a polemic. He suggests the issue could have been resolved with instructions to inspectors, as such work has occurred without problems for years. With the presidential election a year away, the topic is highly political, and debates in the National Assembly are expected to be animated. Union leaders Marie-Lise Léon and Sophie Binet oppose the bill, with Binet vocalizing that volunteering is impossible due to subordination, framing it as a class struggle. Legendre calls this a rear-guard fight, arguing the primary concern for French people is purchasing power. He cites an OpinionWeb survey for CPAME showing 74% of French support the bill, advocating for the freedom to work. The episode then shifts to broader issues of work hours, noting France works less than Germany, the US, and China. Legendre states France works one to two weeks less than Germans and six to eight weeks less than Americans, with Chinese working nearly half a year more. He mentions a 72-hour work week becoming the norm in China, though not legal, and concludes that France must work more to maintain international influence.
