French march over youth jobs plan

The BBC reports:

Students and trade unions in France are holding a day of demonstrations against a draft law aimed at tackling high youth unemployment.

Protests are planned in about 150 towns and cities, with the biggest in Paris.

The government wants to let firms offer flexible job contracts to people under 26 which allow them to be sacked at short notice for the first two years.

But opponents say introducing the law, which currently only applies to small firms, will only add to job insecurity.

French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin has made it a priority to cut unemployment among young people.

More than 20% of France's 18 to 25-year-olds are unemployed - a figure double the national average of 9.6%.

Isn't the welfare state compassionate? You can't you "job security" when consumers have a right to change their preferences.