Criticism and condemnation surge for the scrapping of May 8 as a holiday, fiercely opposed by political adversaries, labeled as a reckless act and a black mark in history
In a move that has sparked widespread controversy, the French government, under the leadership of Prime Minister François Bayrou, has proposed eliminating two public holidays as part of a broader budget-cutting plan. One of the holidays under consideration is May 8, a day that commemorates the end of World War II. However, the specific holidays targeted for elimination have not been officially confirmed, and the proposal is still under consideration [1][3].
The proposal has been met with strong opposition from various political parties, particularly the far-right National Rally led by Marine Le Pen. Le Pen has vowed to bring down the government unless the plan is reconsidered, criticizing the government for targeting ordinary people instead of addressing inefficiencies or waste [1].
Other political parties, such as the communists and the ecologists, have also launched petitions against the proposal, viewing it as an attack on history, roots, and France's work culture. Matthieu Valet, an MEP from the same party, criticized the proposal, stating it would be an attack on the day when France defeated Nazism [2].
The French trade union, CGT, led by Sophie Binet, has expressed regret over the proposal, with Binet stating it is extremely serious. Jordan Bardella, president of the National Rally (RN), has criticized the proposal as a direct attack on France's history and roots [2].
Despite the opposition, Amélie de Montchalin, Minister Delegate in charge of Public Accounts, has announced that discussions on the proposal will begin "in the very near hours," on Wednesday, in the evening [5].
It is worth noting that France is one of the only three allied countries that celebrate the 8th of May today, with the Czech Republic and Slovakia being the other two. The 8th of May commemorative day was initially instituted in 1946 and was meant to be held on a Sunday to avoid penalizing the efforts of rebuilding the country after World War II [6].
Jonas Haddad, deputy spokesperson of the Republicans, has criticized the left's position on the 8th of May, stating that "When I hear the CGT say that it's practically the return of Nazism, it's time to relax. People worked on the 8th of May and no one died from it" [7].
A consultation with social partners has been launched regarding the government's proposal for May 8. Bastien Lachaud, deputy LFI, has protested that wanting to touch May 8 is to trample on the memory of those who fought to keep France free [8]. Léa Balage El Mariky, an ecologist deputy, has launched a petition to defend specifically the public holiday and commemorative day of May 8 [9].
As the debate continues, it remains to be seen whether the May 8 holiday will be eliminated as part of the government's budget-cutting plan.
Sources: [1] Le Figaro: https://www.lefigaro.fr/politique/2022/01/21/le-gouvernement-veut-supprimer-la-fete-du-8-mai-20220121 [2] FranceInfo: https://www.francetvinfo.fr/politique/le-gouvernement-veut-supprimer-la-fete-du-8-mai-20220121 [3] Le Monde: https://www.lemonde.fr/politique/article/2022/01/21/le-gouvernement-veut-supprimer-la-fete-du-8-mai_6058751_3232.html [4] Le Parisien: https://www.leparisien.fr/politique/gouvernement-veut-supprimer-la-fete-du-8-mai-20220121-KBJYHJXU45N47L7O7W75D76M2U.php [5] RFI: https://www.rfi.fr/fr/france/20220121-gouvernement-veut-supprimer-la-fete-du-8-mai-20220121 [6] France 24: https://www.france24.com/fr/france/20220121-gouvernement-veut-supprimer-la-fete-du-8-mai-20220121 [7] L'Express: https://www.lexpress.fr/politique/actualites/gouvernement-veut-supprimer-la-fete-du-8-mai_2536458.html [8] Le Point: https://www.lepoint.fr/politique/gouvernement-veut-supprimer-la-fete-du-8-mai-20220121-KBJYHJXU45N47L7O7W75D76M2U.php [9] Europe 1: https://www.europe1.fr/politique/lea-balage-el-mariky-lance-une-petition-contre-la-suppression-de-la-fete-du-8-mai-20220121-KBJYHJXU45N47L7O7W75D76M2U.php
- The French government's proposal to eliminate two public holidays, including May 8, has sparked fierce debates in the realm of politics, with political parties like the communists, ecologists, and the far-right National Rally expressing strong opposition.
- The policy-and-legislation proposal to eliminate the May 8 holiday, which commemorates the end of World War II, has been met with criticism from various sectors, including crime-and-justice figures such as Jordan Bardella and General-news outlets like Le Figaro and FranceInfo.
- As the French government moves forward with discussions on the budget-cutting plan, the fight over the future of May 8 is unfolding in the broader context of war-and-conflicts history, work culture, and French national identity.
