China: 'The Little Leap Forward'

Louis Gallois's report, out this Monday, on how to improve the competitiveness of the French economy, grabs most headlines. But not all. Libération decides instead to lead on changes underway in Beijing where the 18th Communist Party Congress is about to usher in a new leadership and, hence, a new era. That's the focus for this look at the French press on Monday 5th November, 2012.

IN THE PAPERS

By Nicholas RUSHWORTH

Le Figaro leads on competitiveness. A report on that by former EADS and French railways boss Louis Gallois is out today. It argues for more flexibility in the labour market and lower state spending. The editorial says Gallois's recommendations corner the ruling Socialists, as they appointed him.

Les Echos, too, argues Hollande's government has its back against the wall. Les Echos, in its editorial, says the government will not agree to the main proposal of reducing hiring costs for employers by 30 billion euros, but will embrace several other ideas such as helping small businesses.

Le Parisien-Aujourd’hui-en-France interviews union boss Jean-Claude Mailly who says hiring costs are not the problem; what's needed is a focus on policies that can boost innovation and research.

Libération, meanwhile, is looking at changes in China. They describe the 18th Communist Party Congress in Beijing as the “Little Leap Forward”. Xi Jinping will take over from Hu Jintao. The paper says the Communist Party is having a fit of paranoia in security arrangements, with taxi drivers having to keep their car windows closed to stop pernicious subversive tracts being handed out and pigeon owners being told to keep their carrier pigeons locked up so they can’t be used to distribute anti-Party messages.

Libération's editorial argues that the planet is at a turning point with more global attention focused on events in Beijing this week than those in the US, which normally hogs the media limelight with each presidential election.