Angela Merkel may not be smiling to welcome Francois Hollande Tuesday night. The Christian Democrats (CDU) of German Chancellor Sunday suffered a stinging defeat in a regional election in North Rhine-Westphalia, the most populous state in Germany.
According to partial results yet, the federal opposition Social Democrats (SPD) won the election with 38% of the vote. Environmentalists have raised 12% of the vote, the SPD-Green coalition outgoing should continue to govern this state.
For its part the CDU has collected approximately 25.5% of the votes, or about 9 points lower than in 2010, her worst score ever recorded in this region. This defeat adds to a long series for black liberal-conservative coalition in power in Berlin since 2009, it failed to surpass the 5% in six regional elections, and lost its historical stronghold of Baden-Wuerttemberg.
Merkel remains popular in polls
Although the North Rhine-Westphalia is a historical bastion of the left, this result sounds like a warning to the Chancellor, to 16 months of the legislation. A week after voters in France and Greece have shown that they wanted more austerity, the Germans of this region of western countries have chosen the SPD, very critical of the policy austerity practiced by the Chancellor. "This defeat is bitter, clear and it really hurts," admitted the local leader of the CDU, also Environment Minister Merkel, Norbert Röttgen. He at the same time tried to protect the Chancellor, ensuring that it was "above all (his) defeat" and resigning from the regional party.
If his party string of electoral defeats, Angela Merkel seems to always enjoy great personal popularity. National polls show that the Germans know it will promote fiscal austerity to cure ailing eurozone. Besides, in North Rhine-Westphalia, the Free Democrats, staunch supporters of austerity, collected 8.5% of the vote, nearly triple the 3% they receive from national surveys. However the formation of extreme left Die Linke – model Jean-Luc Melenchon – has not passed the 5% threshold of votes necessary for MPs.
ALSO READ:
"Merkel strain election
"Germany: the liberal FDP poison Merkel
"Merkel defended the rigor to the European trade unions
Presidential in major cities Paris | Leeds | Lyons | Toulouse | Leeds | Sheffield | Liverpool | Bordeaux | Lille
This is the first interview with Jean-Bernard Levy, CEO of Vivendi, since he took over the reins of live SFR, after the departure of Frank Esser end of March. Jean-Bernard Levy happening every day at Defence Headquarters SFR. Including Saturday. Then he joined the headquarters of Vivendi, avenue de Friedland, near the Arc de Triomphe.
At 57, this X-Telecom – who began his career at France Telecom and Matra, before being chief of staff of Gerard Longuet, Minister of Industry under Balladur – knows that his time is short. It should give fresh impetus to the second largest French mobile, thrown by the arrival of Free Mobile and convince the supervisory board of Vivendi to preserve its trust. Some accuse him of having bought at full price – € 8 billion – the 44% stake held by Vodafone SFR yet, just a year before the arrival of Free Mobile does not strongly affect the margins of SFR.
21 million mobile customers
Today, Jean-Bernard Levy must reinvent SFR, which weighs 12 billion in revenue and has almost one in two French among its customers: 21 million mobile customers and 5 million subscribers to Internet broadband no fax payday loans. Faced with the loss of 200,000 customers in six weeks, the operator has responded by lowering prices of its offerings classic "Square" and its low-cost offerings sold online "Red". An adjustment that will weigh on margins in 2012 but in 2013, gradually as current customers under contract will reach the end of engagement. The margin of EBITDA (EBITDA) and should decrease by 12% to 15% in 2012, representing a shortfall of around 500 million euros.
ALSO READ:
"Given Free, SFR multiplied innovations
"Vivendi took over the reins of SFR
"SFR has lost 200,000 customers in part because of Free Mobile
Reality is catching up a little more science fiction follows the success, yesterday, the first test flight of a flying car. The U.S. company Terrafugia has announced that its prototype small plane that runs on the road with folded wings flew for 8 minutes.
The vehicle called transition could well be marketed within a year, said the company whose name is Latin for "escape from land". The group's founder, Carl Dietrich, believes that the dream of many motorists is now within reach the steering wheel! "With this flight, our teams have demonstrated their ability to make real what was until now considered an impossible dream," he said.
The vehicle is expected to cost 279,000 dollars (213,000 euros). The company said that the new materials and a computer aided design used to reduce the price and weight of these vehicles to make them more accessible. More than a hundred copies have already been pre-ordered as well.
Failure of previous attempts
Moreover, the model approved in the U.S., has a range of 787 km and a width of 2.3 m version of the car can park in a garage classic. Once the wings, the model is 8 meters wide.
A track of 762 meters is necessary.
The seventeen countries of the euro reached an agreement Friday to raise 500 to 800 billion euros their "firewall" against financial crisis. Germany has dropped the ballast, but the compromise is far from meeting the expectations of the European Commission, IMF and OECD.
The envelope, which represents a theoretical capacity of loans, includes three components: 500 000 000 000 ahead for the European Stability Mechanism (SPM) which will be launched in July, 200 billion already committed by the temporary fund established in 2010 (EFSF) and 100 billion in loans already spent or pledged various EU.
This elaborate structure – and perhaps questionable because it mixes future and past – allows everyone to say it held its position. For Germany, it was essential to avoid having to raise the ceiling of the MES to avoid another vote in the Bundestag payday loan. Wolfgang Schäuble, the favorite in the race for the presidency of the Eurogroup, but agreed to keep alive a year for the EFSF, which temporarily inflate the pot.
In contrast, those that grew as the French Baroin a figure of around 1 trillion, did not get satisfaction. Discussed in Copenhagen, the project of an additional tranche of 240 billion to be used "in exceptional circumstances", has disappeared from the final declaration of the Eurogroup. Here too, Berlin has been successful. But the question remains the strength of the new firewall in the event of a major financial accident, involving, for example Spain or Italy.
ALSO READ:
"The euro area concerned new markets' growth remains fragile in the euro area
The roses will bloom again next year in the nursery Delbard. But the vast area of 600 acres in Malice (Allier) will have changed hands once again. The history of the empire built by George Delbard in the 1930s, long and consists of garden land production, has not been smooth sailing.
Outlets have been closed or sold, and the Commercial Court of Montluçon decide Monday the fate of the production unit Delbard nurseries of roses and fruit trees. Two bids were reviewed for the company Friday, went into receivership 18 November 2011 and followed since by the administrator Gregory Wautot. One meets Henry and Arnaud Delbard, son and grand-son of the founder, who plan to invest 650,000 euros and keep 54 of 122 employees.
The competing offer comes from Muriel Devoucoux, founder of the company Nurseries Tronçais, associated with the Targa Capital funds. It plans to invest an equivalent amount and retain 51 jobs. "This is more likely. It offers the most sustainable for Delbard, which enjoys a solid reputation, but whose production systems and marketing must be reviewed by a specialist in horticulture, "says a close case.
This experience is most needed to the current owners, the family Torck, which took the entire capital in 2005 from the hands of fund IDI and Henri Delbard. The latter was for seven years in charge of horticulture at LVMH, owner of Delbard, to try to translate his techniques of roses to the vineyards of Moët-Hennessy. The failure was at the height of the ambition of Torck, founder of the brand family clothing Camaïeu. Jean-Pierre Torck was the top spot with its sign of Delbard garden, where roses were marketed its own. He appointed a former Leroy Merlin CEO, responsible for modernizing and growing network of stores very disparate. Within two years, the number of garden centers to the iconic red-and yellow rose has doubled. Delbard has owned up to 35 and counted up to 1,000 employees.
Strategy too expensive
This strategy proved too costly. The Torck invested 80 million euros. In addition, "other garden centers, nursery clients Delbard sanctioned policy Torck, which came to compete directly," says one expert. The nursery has seen sales decline, from 8.7 million in 2008 to 7.4 million euros in 2011.
In 2010, the family Torck has agreed to sell 20% stake in the nursery, deficit, Nalod's group, which operates garden centers around Saint-Etienne. Especially, the latter took over the distribution brand, 14 garden centers and the website Delbard. Today's has 17 stores Nalod Delbard own, in 40 free.
Since last summer, the Torck no longer have any stores. The most emblematic, Tannery Wharf in Paris, was converted into store decoration. Despite this withdrawal, the Torck could not keep Delbard roses in their garden.
Although occupies an important place in the French economy, SMEs – firms employing fewer than 250 employees – are content to play second fiddle to export. They represent less than 18% of sales generated abroad by France, while firms with more than 1,000 employees generate 39% of its amount. And the number of exporting SMEs has been declining in recent years. It took until 2010 for companies embarking on exports (28,900) are more numerous for the first time in eight years than abandoning international markets (26,000). This weakness is particularly disturbing that the French trade deficit worsened to reach a record 69.6 billion euros in 2011.
A series of measures to encourage partnerships
"Entrepreneurial culture does not lead French SMEs to turn spontaneously to export, unlike Germany and Italy where entrepreneurs naturally think to foreign markets to grow their business," says Jean-François Roubaud, president of the CGPME, in a draft opinion "Winning the battle of SMEs with export" submitted today to the vote of the members of the Economic, social and environmental.
To give new impetus to French exports, Jean-Francois Roubaud offers a series of measures ranging from improved business support for encouraging partnerships between large companies and SMEs. It recommends that regions create a "single window for export involving all stakeholders who can help companies" or "Export House" by drawing on the example of Lille. SMEs also need to have information "relevant and immediately usable" to enable them to quickly understand what are the growth markets and declining and who are their competitors. Inspired by the Swedish, France could adopt a "true diagnostic tool" to identify firms capable of exporting.
Billing policy
Despite efforts in recent years, the president of the CGPME observed that coordination between the public can be improved. He believes that the financial institution Oséo public must become "the main contact for funding" by resuming activity insurance prospecting Coface. This insurance allows SMEs to finance their business development and to be compensated in case of failure. Ubifrance under the Ministry of Economy should clarify its public service mission and its activities in competition with chambers of commerce. This would save public money. Its billing policy is also to be revised. Latest proposal: to encourage the economic patriotism of large groups, governments are encouraged to vary the amount of aid awarded to international contracts won by the largest corporations based on the part of activities carried out by SMEs.
Faced with an aging population, Germany is mobilizing its seniors. The shortage of labor grows more and more companies to recruit employees in the age group of 50-65 years. According to recent statistics, 7.7 million of them are in jobs covered by social benefits. Seniors are 452,000 more to work than a year ago, while the number of retired decreases proportionally, according to the Federal Employment Agency.
Germany, most countries aging of Europe, has over 20 million pensioners. Newspapers and specialized sites have a section dedicated to seniors. It offers more courses "convert after 50 years" or "mini-jobs": babysitting, babysitting, secretarial services, pet sitting
.
Applications for employment offered to retirees target various sectors. Thus, the industrial bakery K + U offers training in two years, to turn in senior commercial. This original idea has emerged out of necessity. "This is our response to the shortage of labor, says Corinna-Krefft Ebner, head of vocational training in K + U. We have more and more difficult to hire over. We would have 150 apprentices per year. We find 100 painfully. "
OECD calls on countries to respond
The problem is particularly acute in small family businesses that do not have, in addition, the attractiveness of German industrial groups to attract the most motivated graduates. In its report on Germany, published Tuesday, the OECD calls the country to respond "to strengthen growth potential, particularly given the rapidly aging population." The OECD estimates that this has already cost 0.2 percentage point growth in Germany in 2011 and that the figure will rise to 0.9 points in 2025.
Large family SMEs have taken the lead. Two-thirds of them, the 55-65 years represent more than 5% of payroll. For 15% of these companies, this age represents 20% of the workforce. "But it would have to work longer worth the time. Pension contributions should be totally eliminated for those over the age limit for retirement, "says Lutz Goebel, president of the federation of family businesses. Under a law passed in 2007, the retirement age will rise gradually to 67 years by 2031. Currently, the vast majority of assets not working up to 65 years required: this is 63 ½ years on average than the Germans drop out. It is possible to retire from age 63, after having contributed for 35 years at a discount price.
ALSO READ:
"Germany revises growth down
"France and Germany: the face-to-face figures
SERVICE:
"Find the latest jobs with Cadremploi
FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS ON FIGARO:
"Twitter: @ LeFigaro_Emploi
After four days of an unpopular strike, the Air France pilots looking to get out of the conflict from the top. The crew of the company reiterated Thursday its opposition to the bill regulating the right to strike in the airline industry and imposing a guaranteed service.
A delegation of trade unions must be received at 11 am Friday morning by the Minister for Transport Thierry Mariani. This meeting should not lead to much. "We're not there to find common ground with the unions, but to organize a guaranteed service," warned Thierry Mariani Thursday.
Within hours of the meeting, the minister's entourage confirmed Friday morning hostility to any negotiation. "The meeting should quickly cut short, says one close to the minister. We have nothing to say and nothing to negotiate. "
So, it could be internally that could come after the conflict. "Stability of schedules" which are very attached to the pilots could indeed be negotiated as part of a stipulated agreement with the management of Air France. According to the strikers, the obligation to declare 48 hours before the strike is inadmissible because it will allow the company to organize and make the social movement painless for customers.
A management commitment to the company on a stable schedule will prevent to use of non-strikers rest to ensure flights during strikes and then work to the strikers on their days off when they returned to work. Such an agreement would render the bill of its substance and its effectiveness but allow everyone – and most unions – to save face.
"Blocking the company with 20% of strikers"
"The framing of the strike was finally accepted in 2007 by SNCF workers where work organization is different from ours, said a member of the National Union of Airline Pilots (SNPL). In our business of flying, there are only 15% of staff who works every day to 48 hours before declaring strike is killing the strike. "
An argument that does not convince in the ranks of the majority: "When there will be 80% of strikers, there will be 80% of flights canceled, said a relative of the Minister of Transport. The real reason for this hostility to the bill is to continue to weigh and to block the company with 20% of strikers. "
ALSO READ:
"Travel agents are tired of strikes at Air France
Fnac goes hand in telephony. In this sector, the specialist distributor has a market share below 1% with only 80,000 packages sold last year. Marketing offers from most mobile operators, Fnac had to manage a complex set of over 1200 different packages!
As a result, the company decided last June to associate with a single operator, SFR, for the management of its telecom corners. Last night, Alexandre Bompard, CEO of Fnac and Frank Esser, CEO of SFR, inaugurated the new sales concept to the Fnac in Paris CNIT La Défense. This is the first to rock and eventually all the rays of the 80 mobile Fnac become "SFR space." "We hope to sell 200,000 lines via Fnac stores a year," said Frank Esser.
Specifically, the client who wants to buy a mobile Internet subscription, a fixed line, access to fiber optics as well as terminals or incidental to the Fnac will head to the "corner" SFR located within the store. It will be supported by advisers SFR, distributing only offers from this operator. The sales force, merchandising, and information systems of these areas will be managed by SFR. The operator will share the revenue with the Fnac. In return, Fnac provides SFR with prime locations in city centers and suburbs.
SFR 500 vendors
After the first opening in November in the Fnac of Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois, Portet-sur-Garonne, Herblay, Annemasse and Paris la Défense, five new spaces will be installed in Fnac by Christmas in Velizy II Créteil, Nantes, Bordeaux and Parly II.