This is when Emmanuel Macron was always going to face his stiffest test with tr Neptune squaring the Mars on his presidency chart. It runs on and off till late 2019 and usually brings a sense of panicky failure. Rail staff have called for intermittent strikes, affecting two days out of every five, over the next three months. Energy and waste collection sectors are also affected. He was voted in on a labour reform ticket but facing up to the unions has defeated all his predecessors. It may be marginally easier this time round since the country knows that overly generous employment conditions need to be reined back. But it won’t be an easy fight.
Tr Saturn is square the Venus on the Pres chart this month, returning late year; and then square the Jupiter – so it will wipe some of the gloss off his image.
His own personal chart has lost the high enthusiasm of last year when the Solar Arc Jupiter was conjunct Mars. He looks jangled in late April/early May; though still pushing confidently ahead. May will see him face losses and disappointment with mounting frustrations as he has to change tack. And those push n’ pull, win some/lose some influences continue on. Though tr Jupiter moving across his MC into his 10th from early November should ensure some popularity and success through 2019.
Article in English which talks about the “strike culture” in France, dating back to 1900 or so.
https://www.thelocal.fr/20180404/dont-mention-the-words-strike-culture-in-france
Marjorie-Please give me your astrological thoughts on the Spanish Royal Family at the moment.
Thanks, Cecilia
The French employment and benefits system is staggeringly generous and impossibly expensive to maintain going ahead. Everyone knows it but it always ends in this kind of rumpus when the government goes for change. Whether Macron has Maggie Thatcher’s iron-will to break the unions’ grip is the real question.
Hi Marjorie – I’ve been following the crisis on BFM-TV. Even Air France is now in on the act with the pilots union and other support staff unions with rolling strikes thru the summer. I’m glad I listened to my hunch/premonition to postpone mes vacances in April. BFM-TV interviewed many folk on the street across the country – people are frustrated with the interruptions and the nonstop demands of the unions, esp with the 6% raise for rail workers and guaranteed life employment.
Almost like landing a choice govt job in the US.