French PM fuels row with trip to buy baguettes
Key takeaways
- "Let's have several... at least four," he said, paying at the bakery in Saint-Julien-Chapteuil, central France.
- The visit was part of a government drive to exempt independent bakeries and flower shops from mandatory rest on Labour Day - a public holiday across the country.
- Under French law, only essential services such as hospitals and hotels may be open, with employees being paid double wages.
Why this matters: a developing story that could shape the day's news cycle.
Jaroslav Lukiv AFP via Getty Images Smiling French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu paid for several baguettes in front of news cameras in a village bakery French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has visited a village bakery to buy several baguettes on Labour Day, reigniting a row with unions who argue that 1 May should remain a compulsory rest day.
"Let's have several... at least four," he said, paying at the bakery in Saint-Julien-Chapteuil, central France. The politician also bought some flowers from a nearby florist.
The visit was part of a government drive to exempt independent bakeries and flower shops from mandatory rest on Labour Day - a public holiday across the country.