Why new French premier gave in on cutting public holidays but little else

He is hoping this will make other economic austerity steps more palatable

- Jonathan Eyal

PARIS - France's newly appointed prime minister has announced that he is cancelling controversial plans to cut down the country's number of public holidays as part of measures to save money and stabilise France's ballooning debt.

"I hear what our fellow citizens are saying," Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu told the French media.

Mr Lecornu, whom President Emmanuel Macron appointed on Sept 9, described the concession over public holidays as a gesture to promote a calmer political debate. His government, Mr Lecornu added, will "spare those who work" by ensuring that they continue to have adequate days of rest.

The outgoing government, which was toppled by a vote of no confidence in the French Parliament on Sept 8, had proposed scrapping two public holidays: Easter Monday and May 8, which commemorates the 1945 defeat of Nazi Germany and the end of World War II in Europe.

The measure, which would have reduced the number of public holidays from the current 11 to just nine a year, was part of a broader package of spending cuts.

Nonetheless, it created an uproar among French voters, famous for cherishing their holiday entitlements.

By removing this proposal, Mr Lecornu is offering an olive branch to his opponents in the hope that other parts of his proposed economic austerity measures would prove more palatable. But it is unlikely the gesture will alleviate public anger.

Ms Sophie Binet, the boss of the General Confederation of Labour, one of France's biggest trade unions, has already dismissed the government's concession as merely the "first victory" in what she promises will be a hard campaign of opposition to any cuts in public expenditure.

And in another early blow to Mr Lecornu's government, the Fitch financial agency reduced France's credit rating on Sept 12. This move will increase the country's future borrowing costs and depress its economic prospects.