200,000 stage protest over new French jobs contract.

Byline: BY LIAM CHRISTOPHER Daily Post Correspondent

MORE than 200,000 protesters poured onto France's streets and striking workers crippled transport services yesterday in a mass effort to pressure embattled Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin to withdraw a contested new jobs contract for youths.

Cracks opened in his government as public pressure mounted, with Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy suggesting the contract be suspended to allow talks with unions, in a clear break with Villepin.

Paris and other cities deployed thousands of police to prevent a possible resurgence of violence that marred previous demonstrations against the contract, which would make it easier for companies to fire young workers.

"We have to defend the rights that were won by our ancestors and which the current government is trying to take away," said Maxime Ourly, a literature student who joined tens of thousands protesting on Paris's Left Bank.

Some isolated skirmishes broke out at the end of the march route.

Riot police fired tear gas at groups of youths throwing traffic cones and other objects as marchers reached the end point at the Place de la Republique.

Students and labour unions say the contract will erode France's cherished workplace protections. Set to take effect next month, it would let firms fire employees aged under 26 without reason in the first two years on the job.

Even with huge marches under way, Villepin held firm. He told parliament that he was open to talks on employment and possible changes to the contract, but did not say that he would withdraw it.

But, as protests have grown, his government - and his chances of running for Presidency next year - have appeared increasingly fragile.

Sarkozy, the interior minister also gunning to be the conservative camp's Presidential candidate, told a meeting of politicians from the ruling UMP party yesterday that the contract should not go into force as long as talks to resolve the crisis are still possible, his aides said.

According to police estimates, 31,000 marched in the south-western city of Bordeaux, 28,000 in the southern port city of Marseille, 26,000 in the Alpine city of Grenoble, 17,000 in Lyon and more than 120,000 in nearly a dozen other cities and towns.

Police were deployed against troublemakers, after fears of a repeat of the violence at a march last week when suburban youths attacked peaceful demonstrators and police.

The strike slowed train, plane, subway and bus services across the country to a fraction of their normal levels. It was the first time unions had ordered walk-outs in solidarity with students spearheading protests against the job contract.

France's top five labour union federations also refused Villepin's invitation to meet Wednesday for talks, insisting that he shelve the contract first. President Jacques Chirac cancelled a planned trip yesterday to the northern port city of Le Havre "in light of events," his office said.

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Police arrest a youth following a demonstration against the jobs contract Picture: AP/VINCENT MICHEL