French judges go on strike

Judges and lawyers across France went on massive strike last Wednesday, demanding changes in working conditions.  The protesters were not satisfied with the excessive workload and the need to consider the maximum number of cases in the shortest possible time.

According to Le Monde, 17 trade unions organized the strike.  However, representatives of the judicial system did not take to the streets right away - at the end of November,  they sent the authorities an appeal with the headline ‘We no longer want to have a judicial system where no one is heard and where everything is strictly timed’. 

The appeal was signed by 7,500 judges and lawyers.

 It is reported that 650 members of the judiciary took to the streets in Paris.  Hundreds of people protested in Marseille, Bordeaux, Lyon, Strasbourg and many other French cities.

 In Paris, protesters gathered outside the Ministry of Economy and Finance.

 In other cities, judges went on strike outside the courts of appeal, demanding less workload and more staff.  It is known that in Strasbourg alone there are 270 vacancies in the judicial system - only 74 of which are occupied.

The authorities have already reacted to the demonstrations by promising to increase the number of places in the magistracy.