Jospin PS gauche plurielle cohabitation government

Doctrine — stated goals and content

Economic school: modernising French social democracy — redistributive supply-side mixed with strong state role; took France into the euro while enacting 35-hour week and expansive social legislation. Left-right axis: centre-left. Dated policies: 35-hour-week Aubry laws — Loi Aubry I 13 June 1998 (framework) and Loi Aubry II 19 January 2000 (implementation); Couverture Maladie Universelle (CMU) July 1999; PACS civil-union 15 November 1999; Loi Guigou on presumption of innocence June 2000; privatisations (Thomson-CSF, France Télécom partial, Air France partial, Crédit Lyonnais 1999, Aerospatiale-Matra merger) — PS enacted more privatisation value than any prior French government; euro entry 1 January 1999 (scriptural) / 1 January 2002 (notes and coins); DSK then Fabius delivered disciplined deficits; loi relative à l'épargne salariale February 2001; parité gender- parity law 2000; corporate-tax surcharge phased out; unemployment benefits UNEDIC reform 2000. Popularity: 1997 legislative snap election Jospin victory 42.1% PS+allies vote; cohabitation approval strong through 1999; 2002 presidential first round shock elimination (Jospin 16.2%, Le Pen 16.9%, Chirac 19.9%). Coherence: moderate — traditional-left flagships (35h, CMU, PACS) coexisted with centrist euro-entry and privatisations programme.