François Fillon’s planned attack on public healthcare services “will prove a reform too far”

François Fillon’s planned attack on public healthcare services “will prove a reform too far,” reports The Financial Times. “Mr. Fillon has insisted that, if he is elected, reforming social security will not be his priority. But the mere hint of profound change has caused outrage and dented his approval ratings. L’Obs, the leftwing magazine, ran a front page depicting the politician wearing a medical mask with the headline: ‘Surgeon Fillon seeks to amputate health insurance.’ Criticism also came from Marine Le Pen, the far-right National Front leader who is his main rival, and, worse, from senior figures in Mr. Fillon’s own camp. Soon he seemed to backtrack, erasing the proposals from his website and promising that he would never ‘privatize’ the Sécu.” Fillon has also vowed to cut 500,000 civil service jobs in five years.