France鈥檚 militant unions held the first major day of protest on September 12 against the ordinances introduced by the government to undermine the country鈥檚 labour laws.
Their protests were seen as the start of the campaign to defend workers鈥 rights. It served as a major test for the capacity of the movement to mobilise working people while France鈥檚 unions are divided as to how to respond to the attacks.
Residents of the Caribbean islands of Saint Martin, Saint Barthelemy and the British Virgin Islands have been left with little support to face the humanitarian crisis caused by Hurricane Irma.
According to the latest count, nine people died on the French administered side of Saint Martin and hundreds more were injured after Irma hit on September 5. About 1 million people have had no water or electricity since the hurricane hit with winds of 250 kilometres an hour, destroying around 95% of the French side of Saint Martin.
Hurricane Irma has just passed through the Caribbean, in a procession of tragedies that have destroyed lives and left material damage behind.
In response to this natural disaster, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro sent humanitarian aid to Cuba, Antigua and Barbuda (with 95% of buildings in Barbuda destroyed), and the French colony of Saint Martin on September 10.
Trade unions protested in Paris on August 31 as President Emmanuel Macron unveiled his new attacks on workers鈥 rights. Macron鈥檚 proposed labour 鈥渞eforms鈥 would make it easier for bosses to hire and fire workers.
Macron wants parliament to vote on the new legislation 鈥 the third attack on workers鈥 rights in the past few years 鈥 without a chance to amend it.
The parliamentary majority President Emmanuel Macron鈥檚 coalition won in the second round of legislative elections held on June 18 was reported as a triumph against the weakened forces of both the left and the traditional right.
But questions have emerged over the real strength of the government as it prepares an assault on the rights of workers and their unions.
The first round France鈥檚 National Assembly elections have been marked by record abstention of 51.29% of the electorate.
The abstentionism primarily impacted on the far-right and left parties. Meanwhile, recently elected President Emmanuel Macron鈥檚 The Republic on the March (LREM) and its allies look to secure a strong parliamentary majority in the second round of elections on June 18.
Emmanuel Macron won the second round of the French presidential elections on May 7, receiving 58.21% of the vote compared to the 30.01% share for far-right National Front (FN) candidate Marine Le Pen.
Despite the apparently decisive victory, the vote signals continued political uncertainty in France fuelled by widespread disillusionment with France鈥檚 democracy. It raises questions as to whether Macron鈥檚 supporters, organised in a new centrist movement called En Marche!, will be able to form a working government out of legislative elections scheduled for late June.