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French PM Retreats from Smoking Ban

After backing off from a controversial youth labor law under pressure from millions of protesters in the streets nationwide, the French government has now retreated from another law: banning smoking in public. In a controversial move for a country known for its widespread acceptance of smoking, government officials had been set to initiate the law banning smoking in bars, restaurants and other public venues in a few weeks.

Two days after Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin gave in to the pressures of the public, his party and his president in withdrawing the youth labor law that he and other government leaders decided to hold off on the smoking law as well, to avoid further public discontent with the national pastime of smoking - demonstrating that both giving in and smoking are two things the French are really good at.

A recent survey by the IFOP polling group found that 78 percent of respondents supported a smoking ban. And so, government critics say the retreat on the smoking ban is particularly symptomatic of the current prime minister`s impotence as the country enters its final year in office before next spring`s presidential election. De Villepin had hoped to run for president, but those plans may now have to be dropped.