Social partners react to presidential election result

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On 21 April 2002, Jean-Marie Le Pen, the candidate supported by the far-right National Front, came second in the first round of France's presidential election, thus progressing to the second round of voting at the expense of the Socialist Prime Minister, Lionel Jospin. This unexpected development brought various, though overwhelmingly negative, reactions from trade unions and employers' associations. The events also significantly swelled attendance at the Labour Day demonstrations on 1 May.

The first round of France's presidential election (FR0204106F)was held on 21 April 2002, with the two candidates winning the greatest share of the vote proceeding to a run-off on 5 May. In the vote on 21 April, the incumbent President of the Republic, Jacques Chirac, the candidate supported by the conservative Movement for the Republic (Rassemblement pour la République, RPF) and - to widespread surprise - Jean-Marie Le Pen, the candidate supported by the extreme-right National Front (Front National) topped the poll and proceeded to the second round. Lionel Jospin, the Prime Minister in the outgoing coalition government led by the Socialist Party (Parti Socialiste, PS), came only third in the first round of voting and was thus eliminated.

The unexpected result of the first round of voting stirred strong emotions throughout France. Anti-Le Pen demonstrations sprang up as early as the evening of 21 April and continued until the second round of voting on 5 May. Moreover, on 21 April, several political leaders called on all those opposed to the rise in racism and xenophobia in France to demonstrate together on 1 May. Trade unions and employers' associations put forward their own analysis of the reasons behind the first-round result and laid out their positions on this unusual situation. In this feature we examine these reactions following the first round of voting. In the second round on 5 May, Mr Chirac won an overwhelming victory, gaining 82.21% of the vote compared with 17.79% for Mr Le Pen.

Union reaction and preparations for 1 May

French trade union reaction to the first-round result came as early as 22 April. In a press release, the French Confederation of Professional and Managerial Staff-General Confederation of Professional and Managerial Staff (Confédération française de l'encadrement-Confédération générale des cadres, CFE-CGC) stated that the result was a 'warning', from voters wishing to chastise all the political parties, rather than a breakthrough by the far right. CFE-CGC refused to put its stamp of approval on either candidate in the second round of voting or to participate in any demonstrations that, in its view, distorted the significance of Labour Day on 1 May. However, it pointed out that its 'own principles and values were in direct opposition to any type of extremism'.

A statement by the General Confederation of Labour-Force ouvrière (Confédération générale du travail-Force ouvrière, CGT-FO) national executive asserted the need to fight racism and xenophobia. Although CGT-FO intended to remain within the boundaries of trade union activity, it called for people 'to stave off any challenge to republican and democratic values' on 1 May.

The National Federation of Independent Unions (Union nationale des syndicats autonomes, UNSA) called for 'a day of resistance on 1 May' to prevent 'Jean-Marie Le Pen from taking power'. It considered that the independence of trade unions also sometimes means 'knowing when to fight those who threaten democracy and those that have only one goal as far as industrial relations are concerned: to break down social rights and destroy trade unionism'.

On 22 April, the national executive of the the General Confederation of Labour (Confédération générale du travail, CGT) issued a solemn statement calling for people to 'block Le Pen'. It issued a plea for 'workers and all supporters of democracy to make their voice heard on 1 May 2002 […] in a bid to drive back intolerance, combat all types of racism and promote social justice, freedom and peace'.

The French Democratic Confederation of Labour (Confédération française démocratique du travail, CFDT), which was 'stunned by the result', issued a statement from its executive committee on 22 April unequivocally calling on all its 'members and supporters to register a massive vote for Jacques Chirac'. The following day, in an interview with the Libération daily newspaper, Nicole Notat, the CFDT general secretary, reiterated the union's decision to urge people to vote for Mr Chirac, stating that there was no alternative.

On 23 April, trade unions held a meeting at CFDT headquarters. In the wake of this meeting, four union organisations - CFDT, CGT, UNSA and the Unitary Union Federation (Fédération syndicale unitaire, FSU) - published a joint statement indicating their resolve to 'block the far-right agenda'. The statement also called for 'workers to vote to keep Jean-Marie Le Pen out'. It stressed that the 1 May demonstrations had become a rally for democracy on account of the extraordinary situation.

Although present at the meeting, CGT-FO decided not to sign this statement. Instead, it called on all its members and supporters to demonstrate but under its own banner and instructions.

The G-10 Solidarity Group of Trade Unions (Union syndicale-G10 Solidaires), to which most Solidarity, Unity, Democracy (Solidaire, Unitaire, Démocratique, SUD) unions belong, called on people to turn out for the demonstrations 'and to make every possible effort to keep Le Pen's score as low as possible'.

In a press release issued on 30 April, the French Christian Workers' Confederation (Confédération française des travailleurs chrétiens, CFTC) made an unequivocal call for people to cast their vote for 'the incumbent President, since he is the only candidate to offer a democratic manifesto'.

Exceptionally large 1 May demonstrations

The Labour Day demonstrations on 1 May 2002 were quite exceptionally well attended when compared with those over the past 10 years. In addition to the trade unions, all left-wing parties and associations sent major representations.

Throughout France, approximately 1,300,000 people turned out to demonstrate. In Paris - with the notable exception of CFTC, which held its own rally in the morning - all the trade unions, associations and political bodies converged on the Place de la République in the early afternoon to take part in one of the largest demonstrations Paris has seen in many years (approximately 400,000 people according to the press). Trade unionists from other European Union countries, in particular the Luxembourg General Confederation of Labour (Confédération générale du travail, CGT) and the Belgian General Federation of Labour (Fédération Générale du Travail de Belgique/Algemeen Belgisch Vakverbond, FGTB/ABVV), also turned out.

Employers' association reaction

Employers' associations also reasserted their commitment to the Republican system and distanced themselves from the National Front candidate, Mr Le Pen. The General Confederation of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (Confédération générale des petites et moyennes entreprises, CGPME) urged people to vote for Republican values and the Craftwork Employers' Association (Union professionnelle artisanale, UPA) also reasserted its commitment to democratic and Republican values.

In a statement, Ernest-Antoine Seillière, the president of the Movement of French Enterprises (Mouvement des entreprises de France, MEDEF), condemned in the strongest terms the National Front's economic and social platform, which he claimed would 'be a major step backwards', leading to 'a sharp rise in unemployment and an unprecedented fiscal crisis'. Without formally urging people to support Mr Chirac, Mr Seillière called on the new President, once elected, to undertake a 'major programme of structural reforms', stating that the President must 'form a government of his choice', which in the context of the French political system, means a parliamentary majority of the same political orientation as the President himself.

Commentary

In the wake of the sense of shock felt at the result of the first round of the presidential election, which saw Mr Le Pen beat Prime Minister Lionel Jospin to move on to the second round, the whole gamut of French trade unions and employers' associations distanced themselves – to varying degrees – from the far-right candidate. In so doing, they helped to get the vote out for the second round on 5 May and keep down Mr Le Pen's score.

The 1 May 2002 demonstrations were exceptionally large. The trade unions undoubtedly played a major role in this success, but they cannot, however, use it as a basis for assessing their real ability to 'rally the troops'. Many demonstrators were motivated more by a sense of civic duty rather than trade union activism. Consequently, no revival of trade union membership can be expected to result from these events. (Maurice Braud, IRES)