Why France’s new prime minister backed down on cutting public holidays but little else

Newly appointed French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu (centre) attending a meeting in Macon, central eastern France, on Sept 13.

PHOTO: AFP

Jonathan Eyal

PARIS – France’s newly appointed prime minister has announced that he is

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.