You would think that these restrictions on public liberties and fundamental rights would be unpopular, and might even lead to public protest. In fact, the reverse has happened. In poll after poll, a large majority continues to support the emergency measures.
That may be true but the thing is... This governement is being grilled on something else. They're trying to pass through another reform for the general working law (they already had a few "modernizing measures" earlier in their mandate) which includes stuff like having a less inclusive definition of what is a night shift, looser conditions for employers to set up longer hours and limiting what damages you may be awarded in court for being laid-off without a proper cause. More importantly this new law is planning to allow for company-wide employer/employees agreements to be less favorable than the general law. Up until now, those agreements (whether on individual, company or industry level) were only enforcable if they were more advantageous to the employees.
Also while the state of emergency may have met with few opposition, the constant drumming up of the alarmist rhetoric is getting more and more of a problem with voters on the left. And it won't suddenly make Hollande a darling for people voting on the right.
In short this socialist governement is completely discredited in the eyes of its own voting base (on all those issues, there's more than a few grumbling coming from the party itself). Hollande was elected on the basis of a new European deal amidst the Greek crisis and the tail of the financial meltdown, yet sat on his hands as soon as Merkel said "Nein". Instead this socialist governement is ramping up the security apparatus, making exemptions for companies contributions (a tried and true measure costing a few dozens billions a year and which had never created a job ever), thinking about easier ways to allow for Sunday work and reforming work regulations.
I'm like the most milquetoast Socialist voter ever, but I'll probably cast my vote for the Communists / Chavist admirer coalition next time.
The saddest thing is that come next election it might not matter : if Le Pen manages to go through the first round of the presidential election, any sane French voter will be left with the choice of letting a lunatic xenophobe and crypto-fascist have its way for 5 years or casting a vote for whoever made it to the second round, which at this point in time may mean more Hollande or more Sarkozy (Although I think this fucker is burnt and won't gain the nomination but heh).
