There's further union action going on in the way of rolling strikes and blockages. A union guy I spoke to said there's a delicate balance to be kept now, between keeping the movement alive and not losing the support of the majority of the population. So no dig-in-to-the-end disruption.

He also said people were talking a lot about the issues, and there was a realisation that this wasn't just one "reform" but the thin end of the wedge. A lot of people don't want Sarkozy to proceed with piecemeal dismantlement of the social contract. There will be pressure over the coming year, with elections looming - politicking, as you say.