Say It Ain't So

French government under threat after election blow

"French President Francois Hollande is preparing a probable shake-up of his unpopular government after his Socialist Party suffered losses in nationwide municipal elections seen as a referendum on his leadership.

Disappointment with the Socialists' handling of the economy drove many voters to conservative or anti-immigrant far-right candidates in nationwide municipal elections Sunday.

Hollande met Monday morning Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault, according to officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because the talks were not meant to be public knowledge.

Ayrault's job is on the line and he said himself that the elections were "a defeat for the government." The government has failed to fulfill its promises to cut France's more than 10 percent unemployment and boost growth, which was just 0.3 percent last year, according to figures released Monday."

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"Changes are especially expected in the Finance Ministry, which has scared away investors with high and complex taxes and struggled to find solutions to chronic low growth and growing joblessness."

How could it be??!! /sarc