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 2016 Summer Paralympics play as against Sweden on September 16. France entered the tournament ranked number seven in the world. France qualified four competitors in the men's single event, Frederic Cattaneo, Stephane Houdet, Michael Jeremiasz and Nicolas Peifer. France qualified two players in the women's singles event. Charlotte Famin qualified via the standard route. Charlotte Famin earned her slot via a Bipartite Commission Invitation place. France at the 2016 Summer Paralympics France competed at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 7 September to 18 September 2016. The first places the team qualified were for four athletes in sailing events.