But less than a year after he gained office, the country was rent by transport strikes that brought Paris to a halt. By last spring, the center-right Chirac had been weakened by the election of a Socialist government. Now it is Jospin's turn to deal with these outbursts of violence and protest. He has said little about the car burnings and the bonus demands, although Labor Ministry officials point out that he has increased aid for those unemployed the longest and plans to propose reforms for France's vast welfare system this spring. In addition, his government has proposed new measures on youth crime and delinquency.
Car burning in particular seems to have become a popular form of expression.
In the Strasbourg area, some 500 cars were torched in 1997, up from 400 the previous year. Other cities were not so hard-hit but have had increases. They feel like stars. It looks very spectacular. It gives them a feeling of powerfulness.