French debate on 35-hour week misses point

France’s 35-hour week is sacred but not because it is actually practised. France is actually comfortably ahead of Germany in terms of total hours worked per year. Article discusses the debate in France on the issue after Manuel Valls, a young ambitious French socialist, broke a Socialist Party taboo by suggesting in January 2011 that it was time to ditch the dogma of the 35-hour week, since in any case it was largely meaningless.

ESO: Background information: The 35-hour workweek in France: Straightjacket or welfare improvement? http://www.europeansources.info/record/the-35-hour-workweek-in-france-straightjacket-or-welfare-improvement/

France24, 4.1.11: Socialist maverick calls for end of 35-hour week http://www.france24.com/en/20110104-socialist-maverick-manuel-valls-calls-end-35-hour-week-primaries-france

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