November 2007 strikes in France retire with full pension benefits after 37.5 years rather than 40 years. The Sarkozy administration claims the current pension system allows some public sector workers to retire as early as age 50. The government calculated the cost of these early-retirement benefits at $7 billion a year. President Nicolas Sarkozy felt that his victory in the 2007 presidential election gave him a mandate to carry out labour reforms, stating "I said before I was elected what I would do," and "we will do these reforms because they have to be done." He declared the strikes a test of political will. "I
France at the 1900 Summer Olympics France at the 1900 Summer Olympics France was the host of the 1900 Summer Olympics in Paris. France was one of many nations that had competed in the 1896 Summer Olympics in Greece and had returned to compete at the 1900 Games. Gold medals were not given out and silver medals were given to the winners while bronze medals were given to second place. France took three of six gold medals, five of seven silver medals, and four of five bronze medals in the six archery events that were Olympic. Belgium and the Netherlands were the only others nation that