Sarkozy believes that he has a popular mandate to push his labor-market reforms through parliament, where he controls a large majority. By contrast, the unions argue that they have “social legitimacy,” a claim that may surprise many outside France, but that holds considerable sway in a country where large-scale demonstrations or drawn-out strikes are interpreted as a valid representation of popular will.
&#160;&#160;&#160; 萨尔科奇相信他得到大众的支持来通过议会推动他的劳动力市场改革，而他控制了议会的大多数。与此相比，工会则认为它们具有“社会合法性”。这一主张会让许多法国以外的人士感到惊讶，但是却在法国更有巨大的实力。在法国，大规模的抗议和拖延罢工被解释成为是大众意志的合理体现。