Bloomberg.com: France's Villepin Fails to Win Converts as Jobs Plan Criticized by the left

Bloomberg.comFrance's Villepin Fails to Win Converts as Jobs Plan Criticized by the left

French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin's 4.5 billion euro ($5.6 billion) plan to boost hiring and economic growth failed to win converts among political opponents, who stepped up attacks on his new government. After the speech, the government outlined plans for the sale of state-owned utilities Gaz de France and Electricite de France, moves unions last week demanded be scrapped. The sale of EDF, the world's largest electricity producer, may come by October and generate between 8 billion euros and 9 billion euros, Finance Minister Thierry Breton said today on Europe 1 radio. The Gaz de France IPO, set for June 23, would raise between 3 billion and 4 billion euros, he said. ``In doing this, the government shows that it has understood nothing of the concerns of French people, who clearly showed they want to keep their public services,'' said France's third-biggest union, Force Ouvriere, in a statement. De Villepin's plans are ``a real provocation.''