Judges strike against Sarkozy

"The judges’ revolt spreads across France," leads Le Monde on the eve of an unprecedented national mobilisation. About fifty out of 179 High Courts have in effect decided to suspend court proceedings – judges have no right to strike in France – on Thursday, February 10, the Paris daily reports. The rumble from the judiciary has been provoked by remarks made by the head of state following the murder in early February of an eighteen-year-old girl by a serial rapist. Nicolas Sarkozy labelled the handling of the case an “error" (the suspect should have been monitored by parole and probation officers following his release from prison). The judges have since mobilised to denounce the unfounded accusations levelled at them and the lack of resources allocated to the French justice system.