1m protest today in France

international | worker & community struggles and protests | news report Saturday March 18, 2006 23:34 by Eoin Dubsky

According to the CGT union there were over one million people demonstrating in Paris today, protesting the new employment contract for young people, the CPE. Today's monster demonstration follows dozens of protests and autonomous actions around the country, led mostly by university students.

( Watch a three minute video in your browser from today's demonstration (in English) here http://youtube.com/watch?v=DDcPNHGDroo )

There was also a separate, much smaller march in Paris today to mark three years after the US-led invasion of Iraq. Women in Black is perhaps only anti-occupation/anti-war group that has kept a prominent weekly vigil and stall since the invasion. Other groups seem to have returned their attention to campaigns closer to home, or with a strong French dimension.

The CPE and CNE have already been discussed elsewhere on the newswire.