France’s prime minister, François Bayrou, has proposed scrapping two public holidays as part of radical measures aimed at reducing the country’s ballooning deficit, boosting its economy and preventing it being “crushed” by debt.
Outlining the 2026 budget on Tuesday, Bayrou suggested Easter Monday and 8 May, when France commemorates Victory Day, marking the end of the second world war, although he said he was open to other options.
The centrist prime minister said: “The entire nation has to work more so that the activity of the country as a whole increases, and so that France’s situation improves. Everyone will have to contribute to the effort.”
France is under pressure to bring its public deficit, running at 5.8% of GDP, under the 3% figure required by EU rules, and to rein in €3.3tn of public debt – on which the annual interest, of €60bn, could soon become its biggest budget outlay.
I know someone from France with 36 vacation days 😅 36 !!!
Jealiousy brought you to the point of laughing about others having it better than you, and accepting your horrible state as the norm.
Guess what? They have paid sick leave as well.
I bet you lament about billionaires and big corporations all day, not realising that they make the rules where you live. Why would you laugh at a country that values their citizens at least a bit instead of doing everything for the profit of the richest?
I would not jump into too many conclusions. My friend with 36 days of vacation said she’d prefer somewhat higher wage in France and would be happy with a few less days. To conclude I am jealous would mean you know me a bit. And you don’t. :)
Your friend wants higher wages. Stop.
That’s is just 10 days (two weeks) more than the mandatory minimum for new eyployees, it’s above average, but it’s what you get in most EU countries with some 10~20 years of work & a few kids.
(The orange part is just the starting minimum.)
What a shitty info graphics. Says Europe and then doesn’t even touch anything past the Iron Curtain. What is this, 1989?
Hungary has 11 public holidays. And the number of vacation days are mandated by age, starting with 20 days at age twenty and then gaining one additional day every two years, so at forty-five and above for a total of 30. Since this is not based on tenure, it doesn’t matter whom you work for. Plus two more days for the first two kids, and an additional three for the third for a total of seven.
This is on top of 15 covered sick days, which you can also take for taking care of sick dependents under the age of 12.
Yes, true, I looked for a better one but gave up :( (mid meeting at the office).
But overall productivity isn’t actually an issue, wealth concentration is, saying more work-hours are needed is such a shitty approach (well, there are much shittier ones too, def!).
Thanks for sharing
Less than 2 month, not a lot. I have 31 by default and it’s the lower end of the norm
Yes that’s nice! I also have 31
27, plus bank holidays, and I get days back if my on call falls on a bank holiday. I’m not going to complain, but that’s indoctrination.