French protest against austerity
PARIS France — Strikes have disrupted some French trains and schools as unions across France plan protests against government austerity measures.
President Nicolas Sarkozy’s conservative government says the cost-cutting measures are essential to reducing the country’s debts and allowing France to remain a pillar of the troubled eurozone.
The striking and protesting workers say the cuts hit some sectors and workers unfairly hard and that the rich should make more of a contribution.
Strikes Tuesday reduced or tangled traffic on some Paris subway and commuter train lines. The SNCF national railway said one in four high-speed TGV trains had been cancelled, but international connections were running as usual.
Some 200 protests were planned Tuesday in cities around the country.
AP
