GOALS AGAINST FRANCE

France approached the European Football Championship with a bunch of problems - it turned out that the authorities missed a penalty in all directions. International terrorism, the vagaries of nature and the strike movement threaten Paris, but it promises to endure all and hold out.

Dangers posed to football fans and tourists by Islamic State terrorists and other radical movements have to be taken very seriously, of course. Not so long ago - in November 2015, Paris saw a series of terrorist attacks, which resulted in 130 deaths. And on the eve of the holy month of Ramadan, ISIL leaders voiced calls to make it a time of "disasters for unbelievers everywhere". It is not surprising that a state of emergency is still in force in France, and President Francois Hollande did not deny the existence of security threats, noting, however, that it is impermissible to allow someone to intimidate you. About 100,000 police and private agency employees are engaged in ensuring order at Euro 2016, and they will mix with tourists and fans. In addition, a mobile application has been launched in France, which will warn people in French and English about terrorist attacks - committed or planned.

The second threat came from nature. According to expert estimates, the damage caused by flooding that happened in early June in Paris and central and northern regions of France will be at least 1bn euros. Due to the record high level of water in the rivers, the tourist and agricultural sectors of the country suffered the greatest losses. Insurers have already received thousands of appeals, while professional associations and employers are asking for social support and tax breaks.

This, of course, could be another blow to the country's economy and political stability. After all, France is already suffering from the third and most serious problem - mass strikes continuing for three months in various sectors with a demand to abandon the unpopular reform of the labour legislation. First of all, transport workers - the leftist staff of the SNCF railway company, which, incidentally, is the official partner of Euro 2016, metro workers and public transport drivers resorted to a strike as a way to express their dissatisfaction. The possible termination of the ferry service to the UK was also reported. Employees of Charles de Gaulle airport and Air France pilots stopped going to work, which blocked the operation of one terminal. Energy sector workers - six of the eight French refineries, which have either been closed or are working at reduced capacity, and local nuclear power plants - expressed solidarity with the transport workers. As a result, about 20 per cent of gas stations began to experience serious difficulties with gasoline and diesel, and total electricity generation decreased (in France, nuclear power provides about 75 per cent of electricity). The nationwide strike was also joined by communal services - employees of one of the largest waste treatment plants blocked all entrances, preventing the unloading of waste and household rubbish. Many people immediately began to complain about the smell of rot and rodents. All this has led high expenses, which amount to millions of euros.

At the same time, the strikes further complicate the security situation - mass crowds are difficult to control and represent an ideal platform for a terrorist attack. It is not enough that some violent fans cause a lot of problems (such as drunken English fans who began to loot the centre of Marseilles on 9 June and call the Islamic State), activists themselves are also violating public order. Several hundred protesters, including railway employees lit smoke bombs and firecrackers near the Montparnasse station in Paris under the windows of the building where the union was holding talks with the management. Participants in another protest shouted "Get out!" and pelted Minister of Economy Emmanuel Macron with eggs. Dozens of activists laid siege to the house of Minister of Labour and Employment Myriam El Khomri. The authorities' reaction to such cases is pretty tough - there are clashes with the police and detentions ending with serious injuries and prison terms.

But the most unpleasant thing is concerns that, in spite of the minimum service system and trade unions' assurances not to disrupt the championship, transport might still be paralyzed in France. Indeed, as was announced in advance, the expected number of visitors to the tournament is about 2.5m people. For example, several days before the opening of the championship, strike participants blocked access to the train carrying the championship trophy at the Gare du Nord railway station in Paris on 10 June. Having visited 25 cities, it finally arrived in the French capital, but because of the protests, it was decided to abolish the presentation of the Cup. The trade unions announced plans beforehand to hold a big rally in Paris on 14 June promising not to disrupt the championship. But the fears that Paris train drivers may block the line leading to the capital's stadium Stade de France and Air France employees may not come to work will remain during the entire tournament. In response, President Francois Hollande has already warned that he will not fulfill the main demands of the strikers and will take all necessary measures to ensure that the state honours its commitments regarding Euro 2016, not to mention the fact that France has invested more than two billion euros in the preparation of the football competition.

What made the French, including many football fans, so angry that even Euro 2016 in their own territory does not make them happy? Workers in different fields urge the government to give up the liberalization of the labour legislation, which should help create jobs in France, but at the same time, contains a number of highly controversial points. For example, changes to the law make it possible to increase working hours at enterprises (end of the 35-hour working week), simplify the procedure of dismissal for economic reasons, make it possible to reduce payment for overtime work and introduce the ability to bypass the union's demands through collective voting at the enterprise. Private employers will be able to bypass the single 4,000-page Labour Code and conclude collective agreements with their employees, which will govern such things as wages, working hours and conditions at the workplace. At the moment, a collective agreement can be signed at French companies, but it will be valid only if improves the provisions of the Labour Code.

The reform is beneficial to businessmen who do not recruit new employees fearing that it will then be very difficult to dismiss them, and this situation hinders the development of the economy. Indeed, in France, dismissals may take several years and be very expensive for business owners. That's why the trade unions oppose the amendments as they are losing their influence. In addition, as can be seen from local media comments, trade union leaders are outraged that no preliminary consultations were held with them. The law proposed by the government of Manuel Valls would hardly have been approved in the traditional way, and so the authorities resorted to Article 49.3 of the constitution, according to which the prime minister, being sure of the need to adopt a law, passes the document through the parliament without debate and vote. Experts point out that such reforms have already been carried out in many neighbouring countries, and this will help to revive the economy and fight unemployment, the level of which in France, as opposed to the same Germany, is not falling. But the Fifth Republic has always adhered to its social achievements, and the French are known to strike with passion and will that is difficult to see in other countries.

It is difficult to assume how this confrontation will end, but, for example, everyone remembers how the "Red May" ended in France in 1968. According to various surveys, more than 50-60 per cent of the population is against the current reform, and this is a serious force. At the moment, activists of the protest movement, particularly from the country's largest trade union - the General Confederation of Labour, are not putting forward any political demands - either the resignation of the prime minister or the overthrow of the president, but who knows what will happen next. In fact, the picture of the current confrontation over the labour law reform in France is much more complicated than it seems at first glance - there is a split both in the current government and in the unions, while Hollande is called one of the most unpopular French leaders. Moreover, presidential elections are expected in France next year, which means an increase in rates for all parties. It adds no chance to resolve the crisis through dialogue. But the most unpleasant thing for the French is that amid numerous problems, France is gradually losing its status as a leading European power. But it is already a problem mostly for the EU - its health and stability are directly dependent on the health and stability of the euro zone's second largest economy.