The attack came on the weekend of Xavier Bertrand, in retaliation for the call to vote against Nicolas Sarkozy and make May 1st a meeting very political, with the support of the Left Front. "The CGT had better put its own house, slammed the Minister of Labour. Bernard Thibault should take care of his estate rather than the presidential election. "

Never be the next head of the CGT will have caused much turmoil. War leaders, changing the rules, slingshot on every floor … The replacement in March 2013 by Bernard Thibault turns the fratricidal struggle. And seriously concerned about the entourage of Francois Hollande, including some serious contenders at Matignon that matter – if their candidate is elected Sunday – on the support of the CGT to support future reforms. "He said that increasingly it will be complicated as the crisis is deep," says a close associate of Socialist candidate. "It is not certain that the CGT may reassemble, confirms an expert. The war of succession will leave traces for a long time. "

Persuaded by his family early on not to re-enlist for a fifth term, Bernard Thibault opened in December 2011 the race to succeed him by launching a wide consultation within the organization. Convinced that a woman should succeed him, he pushed the candidacy of two close, Nadine Prigent (54 years, patron of the Federation of Health) and Agnes Naton (50 years old, retired CEO of France Telecom and the body propaganda house). In vain. A third contender is out of the hat, an overwhelming majority: Eric Aubin (50 years, head of the federation of construction and "Mr free credit score. Retreats" of the plant).

A woman at all costs

But Bernard Thibault does not want Eric Aubin succeeded him. "His only handicap is not to be a woman," said one frame. "Thibault did not like Eric to campaign while it is traditionally out that dictates who will succeed him. He does everything to block his way as to create a serious crisis in house, "another abounds. As the current owner should indicate that April 17 was the fittest to succeed him, he changed the procedure he had established himself by pushing the May 25 – five days before the national confederal committee, " Parliament "of the CGT, not to accept one name – his preference. Until then, it will be launched Wednesday a tour of France and held nine meetings to try to impose interregional Nadine Prigent, which is unanimously against it.

"Nobody understands why he does so," says an expert in social relations. "We will not let Bernard impose a person whom does not" prevent multiple frames pro-Aubin. "In a structure like the CGT, one does not belong: it is not a candidate, we are led by organizations," said the favorite, backed by the largest federations and persuaded to be designated May 30 If this is the case, then it will have nine months to rally around him. A more difficult challenge ahead as the cement of antisarkozysme may disintegrate very quickly if Francois Hollande was elected Sunday

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The most comprehensive, but also the later: it is the strength and weakness of the annual real estate market drawn up by notaries. Unveiled Thursday morning, it strengthens the contours of the market in 2011, as has been described by most professional.

First confirmation: the record number of transactions (837,000 in 2006) was beaten with 858,200 transactions in France (710,000 and 148,200 in the provinces in the Ile-de-France). Extraordinary figures boosted by the PTZ +, low rates and the effect of capital gains those wanting to sell before the tax change.

Regarding prices, the existing apartments has increased on average by 6.5% year on year across the country with peaks at 9% in cities such as Lyon or Bordeaux. Notaries are, however, that the rates showed a slight decline since the fourth quarter.

As for old houses, the increase was 2.1% in France with a more pronounced jump in the Ile-de-France (+5.7%) than in the provinces (1.3%). Again prices are trending down since October 2011 (-1.3% over the quarter).

Notaries cautious for 2012

This assessment also helps wring the neck of a preconceived idea: purchases by foreigners does nothing to explain the rate increase. The proportion of transactions by foreigners is only 5.3% in 2011 and this figure "is stable for several years," reveals the notaries.

However, statistics notary confirms that younger people are increasingly excluded from homeownership. Thus, for existing homes, the share of buyers under 30 years increased from 18.3% in 2010 to 16.6% in 2011. This figure continues to decline since 2008. Only the north and east of France still seem accessible to these age groups. By cons, the transactions made by more than 60 years continue, they move forward. More than ever attracted by the safe haven of real estate, buyers seniors increased from 12.5% ​​in 2010 to 14.5% last year.

About the game predictions for 2012, notaries are more cautious than ever. If they announced without much risk of error that the volume of sales expected to decline in 2012 in the former as in the new, they make no reference to range in price developments. They just remember that the expected trend "would be the best stability of the favorite places in Paris and most dynamic cities." Moreover, the drop should be at an appointment and to continue in 2013 "but in a less clear than that found in the hole estate of 2008/2009."

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The company's ready-to-wear founded in 1973, purchased by Edmond Cohen in 1990, and renamed to Fursac, is hosting a new shareholder. The Building Fund and Business Development (EDCF), funded by the ISPs, major banks and insurers French, takes 28% stake by bringing Fursac of 11 million euros. Five million are on loan from LCL and OSEO.

Objective: To help the company with 100 employees, attached to a European clothing and fabrics 100% Italian, find a new impetus. The company, which has nine stores in France, wants to open 25 within five years, in Hexagon, but also in Brussels, Luxembourg, Geneva and London. She hopes to double its turnover, which reached 23 million euros last year, up 20% compared to 2010.

Of Fursac, which had its heyday in the 1980s comeback. In 2006, the company was placed under administration, having invested heavily to rejuvenate its image and move upmarket. She then lost in the Galeries Lafayette locations of province, and its sales had fallen below 15 million euros. A dark period forgotten.

"This long-term strategy has been slow to develop, but has proven successful," said Benoit Sellam, the EDCF. Worn by Harry Roselmack, Tony Parker, Thierry Henry and Gad Elmaleh, costumes Fursac, sold 600 euros on average, younger. They represent 60% of sales, accessories and casual wear have grown. Above all, the company returned to profitability and has virtually no debt.

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It only took a month of discussions that management of TNT Express, a former subsidiary of the Dutch post, accept the proposed UPS. The American giant of more than 400,000 employees whose turnover in 2011 exceeded more than $ 50 billion has evolved its offering at a time when TNT Express through a bad patch. This has indeed posted a net loss of 270 million euros in 2011 against a profit of 66 million euros in 2010.

UPS approached by mid-February, leaders of TNT Express had rejected an offer that valued the company 4.9 billion euros. But to 5.16 billion euros, UPS was unanimous. This acquisition will enable the U.S. group found mainly across the Atlantic to catch up. In the business of courier, transporting small packages, UPS accounted for only 7.7% of the European market against 9.6% for TNT Express, Fedex and 3.3% to 17.6% for DHL, a subsidiary Deutsche Post, according to figures from Transport Intelligence firm.

While approaching, the two biggest names in express transportation become a European leader in size to cross swords with DHL and especially a world champion since their continental positions complement each other. An asset to get the green light from competition authorities even if Deutsche Post yesterday estimated that the European Commission would consider merging with caution.

The new group formed should weigh a turnover of $ 60 billion and 477,000 employees. By comparison, another U.S. giant, Fedex, achieved a turnover of $ 41 billion in 2011 and employs 290,000 people.

Target: 50% of international sales

The presence of UPS TNT in different regions of the world should stabilize as sales in the U.S. will increase from 74% to 64% UPS only for the new group and Europe will reach 22% after the operation against 14% for the only American group.

"Why TNT is it very attractive?" Asked Kurt Kuehn, UPS's chief financial officer, during a press conference in Amsterdam: "Because he manages operations in areas of the world that were unserved: Brazil, Australia, Middle East, the road and rail networks in Europe. "The objective announced by UPS is to reach 50% of sales overseas in the next five years against 26% at present. 

Financially, the acquisition should help to achieve one billion euros in savings, once the integration of TNT Express will be accomplished. Clearly, the group provides $ 400 to 550 million euros in savings per year from 2015 through improved efficiency of logistics platforms, an optimization of aircraft fleets, purchasing … However, the CFO UPS declined to answer questions on possible job cuts among the ranks of TNT. The transaction, which must be profitable within the first year, could be completed in the third quarter of the year.

It is likely that the competitor UPS, Fedex, will not thwart the hostile bid. Especially since the competitor UPS does not have $ 3 billion in cash.

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17 billion euros in investments, 164,000 jobs directly and 97,000 indirectly. Which to house the mammoth project? Madrid against Barcelona: the contenders are the most powerful cities of Spain … and two eternal rivals, in politics as on the football field.

A funny clásico, fanned by a singular trophy: the U.S. company Las Vegas Sands wants to establish in Spain's largest casino complex on the Old Continent. "Eurovegas" must be the European version of the world capital of the game Six casinos, 36,000 hotel rooms, three golf courses, a 15,000-seat auditorium

.

The figures, astronomical, are salivating entrepreneurs and politicians, while the country is mired in negative growth and an unemployment rate near 23%. The real estate engine "miracle" Spanish is down. Regions and municipalities in crisis seek relays create jobs and tax revenue.

In desperation, local politicians are suitable for all investors games. Left to take a project still vague for a real growth driver. Leaves to forget that five years ago, a similar idea had generated the same enthusiasm in Aragon, before developers do not suddenly reverse.

Barcelona or Madrid? Sheldon Adelson, owner of Las Vegas Sands, hesitates. After a year of study and 7.6 million euros spent, however, the decision must fall rapidly before the summer, the billionaire promises.

Rebates and exemptions

His communications director, Ron Reese, said the two cities "are tied." The project, said Reese, who will go to that show the more "flexible". The list of requirements is long Adelson as a letter to Santa. His company is seeking exemptions from social contributions and tax rebates. She wants the standards against money laundering to be relaxed to facilitate, she said, remittances players. Besides other applications wackiest, like creating a MBA in the gaming industry, or the lifting of the ban on smoking in rooms.

These requirements seem exorbitant to upset any politician. In Barcelona, ​​we recall that the project needs to attract 11 million visitors. "Quality tourism" believes the President of Catalonia, Artur Mas.

In Madrid, the figure of 260,000 jobs dizzy: it represents half the number of unemployed in the region. The president of the autonomous government, Esperanza Aguirre, has promised to make "all necessary legal modifications, as they do not violate [its] principles."

Demonstration in Madrid

Thousands of people rallied Sunday in the streets of Madrid to the appeal of unions, against labor reform implemented by the government the right to fight against unemployment, the mobilization test before a general strike scheduled for March 29.

The two main Spanish unions, UGT and CCOO, have called for demonstrations in 60 cities in Spain, to protest a reform they deem "unfair and ineffective" and "defense of public services".

Carrying red flags and placards with the words "no budget cuts", "No to social regression", shouting "we will not pay their debts with health and education", thousands of protesters stormed the center Madrid. 

The Conservative government of Mariano Rajoy adopted on February 11 for further reform of labor market flexibility, including lower redundancy payments and measures to stimulate youth employment.

China's growth confirms its moderation. All indicators earlier this year indicate a general slowdown given the Chinese engine. This weekend, China Customs have announced for the February trade deficit of $ 31.5 billion. The most since 1989, according to figures from Bloomberg.

China's demand for foreign goods, raw materials whose economy is greedy, in particular, continued to grow, while the two main trade partners of Beijing, the European Union and the United States, slowing their orders in a difficult economic environment on both sides of the Atlantic. Exports then rose only 6.9% on the first two months of the year, year on year, against 13.4% in December, while imports grew by 7.7% at the same time, against 11 , 8% in December.

China's trade balance continues to play a little yo-yo earlier this year, with the effect of Chinese New Year festivities, which saw disengage almost all plants of the country. But last week, Chinese Commerce Minister Chen Deming announced already that keep foreign trade growth to 10% as in the past would ask "hard efforts".

Inflation sharply down

For it is all Chinese machine out of steam. By last weekend, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed that industrial production grew by 11.4% over January and February, its lowest level in two and a half years, and retail sales of 14.7 %.

Inflation has never been so low in twenty months. The index of consumer prices rose only 3.2% over one year against 5.4% for the whole of 2011. A figure lower than expected, but also below the target the government set itself for 2012 to 4%. This price moderation should breathe a sigh of relief to more than a senior party. She had become, last year, a major concern of the central government, fearing that it would nourish the social scolds. Reassured, the Chinese leaders could now ease off on their monetary policy and the exchange rate of the yuan.

But the pause early this year by China's growth is primarily seasonal, with the parenthesis Chinese New Year, the central government may wish to wait for confirmation of this curbing of its economy before flowing again . The specter of inflation, which can leave at any moment, has not deserted the minds of Beijing.

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No wonder that the backup industry has become an issue in the presidential Since 2001, the manufacturing sector has lost over 800,000 jobs in France. Each week brings a lot of sites in need. After the textile factory Lejaby and module manufacturer Photowatt, it is the turn of the steel plant of ArcelorMittal Florange in Lorraine, put to sleep by the judgment of its two blast furnaces, to generate the anxiety … and the attention of politicians.

Francois Hollande visited Florange Friday. There promised legislation that would prevent a company wanting to emerge from a French site to block a takeover by a buyer. Filed Monday in Parliament, this bill has no chance of being passed before the elections. But its content must be dated. In detail, the text is not so coercive as that. "If there is no buyer, we will force the company not wanting to close the plant to find one," said Alain Rousset, President of PS Aquitaine and responsible for industrial matters within the Holland team.

Defensive tool

"By cons, if buyers are presented, the company can no longer refuse to cede the factory, as sometimes happens now. This is the commercial court which will then choose the buyer, "added the official, who sees the device as a defensive tool against abusive practices by companies not wanting to deliver profitable customers or technology to a potential buyer competing .

On the other side of the political spectrum, we do not share this vision. "The logic of this bill is a logical administered economy that always leads to impoverishment," Francois Fillon on Monday denounced the Salon de l'Agriculture. RTL, Nicolas Sarkozy said he preferred to act through the Strategic Investment Fund (ISF), the armed wing of the State acquires a stake in companies. "It makes sense, is to invest," said the president-nominee. Nevertheless, in the case of ArcelorMittal, the use ISP has nothing obvious, the group being held to 40.8% by the Mittal family. Similarly, the government can push, as reaffirmed by Nicolas Sarkozy, the direction to invest in the blast furnace restarts in the second half. But this is ArcelorMittal, as a private company, which will decide whether to invest, based on economic criteria.

The state could in fact intervene through Ulcos European project, focused on CO2 reductions. Through this project, a new blast furnace could be built to high performance Florange. Last autumn, the French government is committed to provide 150 million euros to this program. Commitment that Nicolas Sarkozy confirmed on RTL. Still, it must also get the green light from Brussels. The European Commission must give its opinion in October 2012. Francois Hollande had gone to discuss the subject in Brussels last November. Nicolas Sarkozy has promised to speak at the European summit later this week. But again, the project will not succeed if it is not economically viable

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After Guadeloupe and Mayotte, it is the turn of the meeting to fight against high prices. If measures to lower gasoline prices and basic commodities were announced, anger persists. According to figures from INSEE, in 2010, prices were more expensive by 12.4% in Réunion in the mainland. A difference that amounts to 14 saving account payday loan.8% in Guadeloupe, and 16.9% for Martinique. In Guyana, where the price differential is highest, this amounts to paying twice the tax: a basket of goods (including rent) money is 19.6% higher than in metropolitan France.

Investigation of spatial comparison, INSEE.

In a few days, the management of Air Méditerranée know the number of candidates to voluntary redundancy scheme and the number of those who wish to be reclassified from Hermes Airlines, a Greek subsidiary conveniently created in August 2011 by Anthony Ferretti, the president and largest shareholder Air Méditerranée.

The new company proposes to take Greek pilots and stewardesses its parent, provided they opt for a Greek status and pay accordingly – lower by at least 30% to those in force in France.

Affected by the Arab Spring

Outwardly, nothing appears. The three aircraft in the fleet of Hermes Airlines registered in Greece wear the shoe Air Méditerranée. Flights operated by these aircraft are also consistent with those made by the parent. Hermes is it then a ghost airline intended to lower costs to manage the activities of its parent company in trouble? "It's ten years as the president of Air Mediterranean dream to relocate, says a captain of the company. At first he did not dare use the word. Today, it frightens him more. He says it is for our good and it will help revive the company's business. "

Mediterranean air, which mainly works with tour operators and individuals by selling low-cost flights on the Internet, has been hard hit by the crisis Tunisian and Egyptian. In 2011, it achieved a turnover of 220 million euros and would have recorded a small loss.

Unions, convinced that the "relocation" was illegal, responded: "We met with leaders of the General Directorate of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on numerous occasions, said Denis Roumier, the SNPL. But they told us that there was nothing illegal in this montage. Nothing prevents an employer to operate equipment by registering in another country. ". Hermes Airlines has recruited crew members from different nationalities in Greek status to ensure the flights of the three devices with operating licenses Greek.

The salary of a hostess who received 1200 euros net per month in France rose to 900 euros in Greek status. That of a captain of 5000 euros to 3700 euros a copilot from 3500 to 2600 euros.

By summer, the Greek subsidiary should operate six aircraft, as declared by the president of Air Mediterranean in council.

Faced with this "misuse" of their flights, the 450 employees of Air Mediterranean – including 85 in CDI will leave the company under the plan to safeguard employment – wrote an open letter to President: "In the process things are going, we expect, if nothing is done, not only to pursue the relocation of six ten but had to start our whole fleet, the disappearance of our company and, worse , that the method is spreading to other French airlines … "

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