Debunking stereotypes: The French are always on strike

Nicolas Sarkozy is determined to change the widespread belief that the country is forever paralysed by industrial action

To some, the defining image of France is a striking railway worker with a red flag holding the nation to ransom as planes are grounded, schools shut and desperate commuters sleep under their desks because there are no trains.

Nicolas Sarkozy begs to differ. He claims to have broken the power of strikes. "These days when there's a strike in France, nobody notices," he said, after introducing a law that forces public services to keep a minimum service during strikes. Last year's massive stoppages and street demos against raising the pension age united everyone from dinner ladies to weathermen, causing chaos but not meltdown, and the reform went through.

The cult of the strike – and, more important, the street demonstration – remains a crucial part of political life in France.

With an all-powerful president and a weak parliament, many see marches as the only way to make their voice heard. Although France remains one of the most strike-prone nations, in recent years it has been topped by Canada and South Africa. Historically, it is the most strike-happy country in Europe, losing on average 132 days per 1,000 workers due to strikes between 2005 and 2009.