Paris (agencies)
French diplomats went on strike yesterday for the first time in 20 years to protest once morest a lack of resources and reforms President Emmanuel Macron has been pressing for, which they say might damage France’s standing in the world.
Hundreds of diplomatic staff at home and abroad, including some ambassadors, participated in the strike, which was called by young employees of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
About 200 diplomats protested outside the State Department headquarters.
The strike comes following Macron won a second presidential term last April, whose country holds the presidency of the European Union until the end of June, and wants to play a leading role in the bloc’s response to the Russian attack on Ukraine.
The protest centers around the integration of diplomats into the broader civil service, which increases competition for positions, but which diplomats say will weaken a service they say needs years of experience.
France has the third largest diplomatic network in the world, with 1,800 diplomats and a total of 13,500 people working for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.