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 1908 Summer Olympics the two national squads of France national football team & France B national football team. Each faced Denmark in its first match, with France coming off the loser both times. France had one boat enter competition in the motorboating events, winning a gold medal when that boat ended up being the only finisher in the open class. France at the 1908 Summer Olympics France competed at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London, England. France finished in fourth position in the final medal rankings, with five gold medals and 19 medals overall. The French team was one of three to take