Lecornu receives five unions at Matignon after the violence: freedom to demonstrate and cost of living
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Meeting at Matignon on 21 October at 10:30 am: who takes part and what is on the agenda.
In this article
The essentials
Sébastien Lecornu receives five unions at Matignon on 21 October at 10:30 am, after the violence of 17 and 18 October, to discuss ways of guaranteeing freedom to demonstrate.
Participants
On the government side: Sébastien Lecornu, Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez and Labour Minister Jean-Pierre Farandou. Five unions are invited: CFDT, CGT, FO, CFE-CGC and CFTC (franceinfo). CNEWS says the CGT had not immediately confirmed receiving the invitation.
What they will discuss
In the invitation, Matignon mentions “the ways and means” of guaranteeing freedom to demonstrate, which some link to unacceptable acts (L’essentiel). High-school students’ demands (timetables, replacements, renovation, Parcoursup) are also at the heart of the discussions; the CFDT and CGT regret the absence of high-school organisations.
Union reactions
The CGT denounces “the strategy of chaos deployed by the government” (CNEWS). Marylise Léon (CFDT) demands €100 more per month for all employees; Carrefour’s CEO rejects this idea and prefers company-by-company negotiations.
Background
In his 7 October address, Sébastien Lecornu cited five areas of work on the high-school movement: replacing absent teachers, material conditions, organisation of school time, transparency of Parcoursup and a new framework for expression; first decisions expected at the end of October. He also set a deficit target of 5% of GDP in 2027, with a recovery effort of €54 billion.
Discussion points
Matignon puts the safety of marches on the agenda; RMC says purchasing power is also on the menu. The CFDT warned before the meeting that it was “out of the question to talk only about organising the mobilisation” of 5 November. The unions want to deal with security and daily life together.
High-school students and what follows
High-school organisations are not invited. The Prime Minister promised “first announcements” for high-school students “early next week”. The result of the meeting was not yet reported at the time of writing.
To keep in mind
This article is based on information from before the meeting; its result is not yet known.
Learn the grammar
French grammar
Learn sentence patterns and usage from the article’s own sentences.
01The present indicative
est / sont + attribute (noun, adjective, prepositional phrase)
Réunion à Matignon le 21 octobre à 10 h 30 : qui participe et de quoi il est question.Key pointsÊtre in the present is est for a singular subject and sont for a plural one. It describes nature, state or place (“is”, “is located”). If what follows (the attribute) is a noun, adjective or prepositional phrase, it is not a passive. If a past participle follows, it is a passive (est annoncé). Headlines and summaries often use the present to describe the current situation.
02The passé composé
present of avoir + past participle
Il a aussi fixé un objectif de déficit de 5 % du PIB en 2027, avec un effort de redressement de 54 milliards d’euros.Key pointsThe passé composé is the most common past tense, used for “did” and “has done” — actions completed in the past. It is formed with the auxiliary avoir (a / ont…) in the present + a past participle. Past participles of -er verbs end in -é (annoncer → annoncé); learn the irregular ones (faire → fait, prendre → pris, voir → vu). In the negative, ne … pas wraps the auxiliary (n’a pas annoncé). In the news it reports facts that have already happened, such as “announced” or “voted”.
03The passive voice in the present
être (est / sont) + past participle (+ par / de)
Cinq syndicats sont invités : CFDT, CGT, FO, CFE-CGC et CFTC (franceinfo).Key pointsThe passive means “is done” or “is being done”. It is formed with être + past participle, which agrees with the subject in gender and number (la mesure est adoptée / les mesures sont adoptées). The agent is introduced by par (or de). In the news it is common when the event, rather than the actor, is the focus (est prévu / est annoncé / est connu).
04Negation and its scope
ne / n’ … pas · ne … plus
CNEWS indique que la CGT n’avait pas immédiatement confirmé avoir reçu l’invitation.Key pointsNormally ne and pas wrap the verb. Before a vowel, ne becomes n’. Check which part of the sentence the negation covers. Ne … plus means “no longer”.
05Citing a source with selon
selon + noun / organisation
Les « hausses de salaires » sont négociées entreprise par entreprise ou décidées au niveau national selon les cas, et les avis divergent ici.Key pointsSelon means “according to”. Put a person or organisation after it as the source. It separates facts the writer checked directly from what another body or report said. Citing a source does not turn a forecast into an accomplished fact.
06Purpose with pour
pour + infinitive
Sébastien Lecornu reçoit cinq syndicats à Matignon le 21 octobre à 10 h 30, après les violences des 17 et 18 octobre, pour discuter des moyens de garantir la liberté de manifester.Key pointsThis is the purpose, “in order to…”. Put the base form of a verb after pour. The purpose stated here is separate from whether the effect was actually achieved.
07The subject relative pronoun qui
noun + qui + verb
Réunion à Matignon le 21 octobre à 10 h 30 : qui participe et de quoi il est question.Key pointsQui continues a description of the person or thing just mentioned (“the one that does…”). Because qui is itself the subject of the next verb, do not repeat the subject. The verb agrees with the noun qui refers to.
08Dates and their prepositions
le + 日付 / du … au …
Dans son allocution du 7 octobre, Sébastien Lecornu a cité cinq chantiers sur le mouvement lycéen : remplacement des enseignants absents, conditions matérielles, organisation du temps scolaire, transparence de Parcoursup et nouveau cadre d’expression ; premières décisions attendues fin octobre.Key pointsLe 15 octobre means “on 15 October”. Distinguish the le before a date from the le that marks a weekly habit like a weekday. Du is de + le and au is à + le, so decide the meaning from the verb and period expressions around them. Their role depends on the group: a range of dates, the date of a bulletin or another complement.
Japanese grammar
Understand the structure and usage from the text.
01Indicating the subject: について
noun + について
10月7日の演説で、ルコルニュ首相は、高校生の運動について、5つの課題を挙げました。Key pointsAs in “予算について”, it shows the topic to be talked about or explained. In the form “〜についての報道”, の is added so that the group qualifies the following noun.
02Cause or purpose with ため
〜ため / 〜ために
17〜18日の暴力のあと、政府が、デモの自由を守る方法を、労組と話し合うためです。Key pointsため is used for both reason and purpose. “成立ではないため” is a reason and “運転手を守るため” a purpose. Decide from the whole sentence whether what precedes is a cause or a goal.
03Giving examples with など
noun / expression + など
時間割、教員の補充、校舎の改修、Parcoursupなどです。Key points“暴言など” gives “abusive language” as one example. It is not necessarily a closed list of only the things named. It also helps when reading the scope of a news story.
04The polite past ました
verb stem (連用形) + ました
21日10時30分から、首相官邸で会談が開かれました。Key pointsIn “発表しました”, ました makes a verb polite past. The negative is “ませんでした”. Read the actual date together with the date and time in the text.
05Quoting with と: content and report
plain-form sentence + と + verbe de parole (報じる, 説明する…)
CFDTとCGTは、高校生の団体が呼ばれていないことを、残念だとしています。Key pointsと takes the content that is reported or explained. In “改定する方針だと報じました”, “改定する方針だ” is what the report said. Separating the content from who said it and how makes long sentences easier to read.
06Treating a clause like a noun with こと
plain-form sentence + こと + particle
CGTは、招待を受け取ったことを、すぐには確認しなかったと、CNEWSは伝えています。Key points“〜すること” treats an action or content like a noun. The particle after it (が・を・は…) shows its role in the sentence. “ことができる” is a fixed combination meaning “can”.