Merkel backs French labour reform

BERLIN: German Chancellor Angela Merkel backed the French government in its plans to reform the labour market, the media reported.

Speaking at a joint press conference in Berlin along with France’s Prime Minister on Friday, Merkel said that President Emmanuel Macron had vowed to carry out the reform during his election campaign, and he was now putting his plans into action, Efe news reported.

The head of the German government considered that Macron had grounds to implement the reforms as he had outlined them during his campaign, and received popular support in the presidential and parliamentary elections.

Subsequent wins in the elections gave Macron’s government a “strong legitimacy” to move ahead with the changes he had presented during the campaign, Merkel said. — IANS