Dimanche d’histoire, épisode 5/5 : 2006, The Economist et ce dont la France a besoin

Dernier épisode de la journée : en 2006, alors que le second mandat de Jacques Chirac s’achève dans l’absence de réformes, The Economist fait une "une" remarquée appelant à réformer profondément la France.

The question is whether France can now build on these strengths by bringing in pro-competitive reforms—to its labour market, to its protected utilities and public monopolies, to its social model, to its public services and to its stifling regulatory system. There are reasons to be optimistic. Many of France’s impressive businessmen are demanding change. The country’s demographic outlook is healthier than its neighbours. Because it is less dependent on manufacturing than Germany, Italy and Spain, France has less to fear from low-cost Asian competition. It will always be hard to get reforms past the gauntlet of France’s street protesters. But at least the government is not hobbled by the scratchy coalition politics that bedevils all attempts at reform in Germany and Italy.