萨科齐总统在今年五月当选为法国总统，并承诺要与过去决裂以实现法国的现代化；自从那时，萨科齐总统就可能陷入与各大工会摊牌的境地。

• From the day when he was elected in May, promising a rupture with the past to modernise France, Mr Sarkozy was always likely to face a showdown with the unions.