Sarkozy raises hopes of expats

French labor laws, racial bias forced many citizens to find jobs abroad

Associated Press

September 4, 2007

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LONDON - Anrmy Bourhane, a Frenchman of African origin, had three years' experience as an account manager and a master's in international business but spent a fruitless year in Paris looking for work.

Eight months ago, he came to London and found a job as a sales representative within 10 days. Two months later, he was promoted.

He is one of thousands of young, energetic French people who have crossed the English Channel in search of a work environment that rewards talent and drive and is unhampered by the stultifying labor restrictions of their homeland.

Now many of those people are hopeful they may soon be able to return home and find fertile ground for their ambitions in a new meritocratic France. The cause for their hope? The election in May of President Nicolas Sarkozy, who promises to break the old mold of French business and actively courted London's French expatriate crowd during his campaign.

The new French president has also championed "positive discrimination" policies to help minorities find jobs.

Sarkozy has driven through a measure to encourage people to work beyond the 35-hour workweek by cutting taxes on overtime pay. It is a pillar of his drive to open up an economy hampered by high corporate taxes, a bloated public sector and endless red tape for entrepreneurs.

"I have faith in Sarkozy to give hope back to France," said Bourhane, originally from the Comoros Islands, off the east coast of Africa.

Along with excitement, however, there is skepticism about France's ability to change.

Many expats are waiting to see what happens after the French summer break, to see whether Sarkozy can carry out his promise to transform France, which has an unemployment rate of 8 percent, one of Europe's highest.

At 21 percent, the unemployment rate for young people is particularly high, largely because job openings are scarce in an environment in which rigid labor laws make it all but impossible to lay off workers and older generations can expect to keep their jobs for life.

"The summer is a time for reflection; the reopening of Parliament will be the time for action," said Bourhane.

There are an estimated 400,000 French people in Britain, most of them in the capital -- leading some commentators to quip that London is now France's sixth-largest city.

Arnaud Vaissie, president of the French Chamber of Commerce in Britain, said some French expats, particularly young executives in finance, were interested in going back to France after Sarkozy's election.

He said many French people here would love to return to Paris -- if only the system was opened up to reward talent and energy.

"I do think there is a high level of interest among executives in London about what's happening in France," he said.

He said many French financial institutions that have bases in London may now see the economic merits of moving jobs back to France.

"The trend has been to move more and more jobs to London. However, the cost is extremely high to be in London," he said. "It may make sense for institutions such as banks to look at those jobs going back to France or staying in France."

Bourhane said he suffered not only from the general difficulty the young face in landing jobs in France but also from what he calls racist obstacles that nonwhite job seekers face.

It is a complaint that was heard repeatedly during riots that exploded in heavily immigrant suburbs in autumn 2005. Sarkozy has promoted his vision of affirmative action by naming women of African and Middle Eastern origin to his Cabinet.

"I thought that Paris was a very big city, with big international companies, but I couldn't find what I wanted -- only temporary work," Bourhane said. "Then a friend mentioned England and said the jobs market was very dynamic, where you could earn a good living."

Bourhane found a job as a European sales representative for American conference- call company Intercall, and after two months had worked his way up to manager level.

Some expats sound a note of caution about whether the French, fiercely proud of their culture and traditions, really want France to become more like Britain and the United States.

Caroline Limour, 35, a French legal secretary who has lived in London for nine years, noted that France was renowned for its culture and generous welfare system -- aspects of her country she does not want to see change.

"The health system in France is one of the best in Europe, and lots of people, not only British people, go to France to use it," she said. "We don't want France to become England."