But the President of the Republic did not only for the future

They were all there: Jean-Claude Mailly (FO), Bernard Thibault (CGT), François Chérèque, (CFDT), Laurence Parisot (Medef), on the benches reserved for the public, and Jacques neighbour (TCRC), Bernard Van Craeynest (GSC), Alain Olive (Unsa), Jean-François Roubaud (CGPME) and Pierre Perrin (UPA), in the span of the economic and social Council, where they usually sit. The social partners were the large full, yesterday, to listen to Jacques Chirac to express themselves on the reform of the social dialogue. Since mid-July, the head of State insists on making it a priority of the Government "before 2007.

Yesterday, entering in the Gaullist tradition, he was careful to put it in a more global, meaning political project in passing that, candidate or not, to be reckoned with in 2007. It is for him nothing more nor less that of "a decisive step: place the social partners at the heart of the development of standards and social reforms." This "society choice" is "indispensable", he insisted, "to pursue the modernisation of our social pact". It is "a force for the nation" that contributes to its competitiveness, he added, is taking the "ideologues, to the professional pessimists" who say the French social model exceeded. An implicit Spades to Nicolas Sarkozy

Instructions for use

But the time was not for him to settle accounts, instead of height. Asking arbitrator, it distributed the bad points both to the State "representative democracy does not mean that the State must do everything, and still less that it must all be one" the social partners. Trade unions, he asked "to release former protest tradition that leads too often on the confrontation and, at the end of the account on conservatism". He also criticized the employers organisations, that "sometimes, also, have tended to reveling in a too narrow view of the interests of the company", referring in particular to their reluctance to wage.

If it was kicked into touch on a reform of the trade union representativeness, he delivered a mode of employment for the reform of the social dialogue, which the drafting took a bit of delay, the preliminary draft is more expected before the end of the week. The head of State wants an annual speech by the Prime Minister to the those on the social State of the Nation, an annual appointment between the State, trade unions and employers, to "share their diagnoses, their objectives and their respective calendars" and, finally, a mandatory referral to the social partners with a "clearly defined, consistent time with time and the requirements of political action".

"The dialogue bet."

Must be "contract more and less than Act", was launched, while recalling that the last word will remain the national representation. A "bet of dialogue, engagement and responsibility" as first announced practical works: "pursue the amendment of the Labour Code, and place a true professional social security" to "liberate our country from mass unemployment.

But the President of the Republic did not only for the future. He also took the opportunity of its intervention in the palais d'iena to its social balance sheet of the quinquennium. And as often in a balance sheet, the unspoken were as important as the said.

A "major road".

The President of the Republic did effect not only once a reference to the contract first engagement (CPE) in his speech. However welcomed with "necessary reforms and too long deferred which were conducted in a willingness to dialogue with the social partners" and allowing to browse a "major road" in four years: pensions, the health care and dependency.

Dominique de Villepin has not completely forgotten, since, recalling his objective to "current" 2007 "below the 8 of the unemployed", the head of State has welcomed its employment policy, "coherent, active and based on clear principles." But then again, his flagship, the new contract measure hires, was relegated in any end of enumeration. The head of State preferred to highlight the social cohesion plan, more consensual it is true, Jean-Louis Borloo, who also accompanied him.