Six months on, Sarkozy faces black November

PARIS (AFP) — Six months after his election victory in France, President Nicolas Sarkozy is vowing to stay the course of reform as unions prepare to make November the most difficult month of his presidency.

The perpetual-motion president returned Sunday from a snap visit to Chad where he brought back three French journalists and four Spanish air hostesses detained over a charity's attempt to fly some 100 children to France.

He heads to Washington on Tuesday to confirm his pro-American credentials and press on with his drive to make France the leading European power under his presidency.

But the biggest test of Sarkozy's presidency lies in his domestic reform agenda, where stormclouds are gathering on many fronts.

As Sarkozy heads to the White House, rail and energy unions are preparing fresh strike action beginning on November 13 over plans to scrap pension privileges that allow some ...