At the core of the commando attacks on politicians’ homes, heavy industries’, and cities’ power supply is the French Government’s decision to transform state-run utilities EDF and GDF (Gaz de France) into limited companies – a decision made for fiscal reasons and under European Union (EU) pressure to conform to EU standards.
If the French government gets its way, it will sell up to 30% of EDF. The revenue will then be re-invested in the country’s ageing electricity network and to shore up EDF’s own finances. According to French Finance Minister Nicolas Sarkozy, “The price of electricity in France has been built, to a large extent, on the deterioration of the financial situation of [EDF].”
The unions however, see the sale as the first step towards privatisation. And, being French, they are not one for taking things lying down. Hence, picket lines and the fine art of getting creative with the Big Bad Government.
In the first wave of protests, which lasted a day, the gloves did not come off. A few Paris suburbs without power, tens of thousands of protestors on Parisian streets, and localised power outages along the Mediterranean coast were about the extent of it. Kid’s stuff, really compared to usual Gallic reactions.
The big offensive, according to the CGT union, was planned for June when the French Assembly voted on the proposed change.
Come June and Raffarin found his house, and the house of other politicians who had publicly pushed for the changes, plunged into darkness. Then cometh the localised power cuts, the strikes, the drops in power outage and the ubiquitous striking workers.
The piece(s) de resistance, as it were, was cutting off power supplies to Spain, shutting down power to five EDF nuclear power stations (Saint Laurent, Nogent, Chinon, Cruas and Golfech), shutting down Bordeaux-Merignac airport for an hour and even cutting off power to national landmarks like the Champs Elysees and the Eiffel Tower. Disgruntled EDF workers, clearly with an eye to the Anglo Robin Hood, even went so far as reconnecting power to households which had failed to pay their bills.
Alas, to no avail. Despite the backing of the left-wing opposition, the bill was passed through the National Assembly. And, although the Senate still needs to ratify it, the government also holds a majority in the upper house. In the words of EDF CEO Francois Roussely, “[We] will stand by the reforms despite the widespread protests. There is no going back.”
