French refinery siezed.

The seizing of the refinery Grandpuits in the "name of the interests of national defence" by the authority of the Prefect of the Department Seine-et-Marne, Michel Guillot, was effected in the middle of last night with the removal of some 80 pickets.

The report in french in Le Figaro is linked here.

Service stations appeared to have more fuel available yesterday and the school half-term holidays begin this weekend which will doubtless affect the strategy of the protesters against the Government of President Sarkozy. With crude oil deliveries blockaded and and all twelve oil refineries suffering disruptions in one way another, seizing refineries appears only a short term solution. Reports on the strike situation in the electricity power stations has received scant attention in the media, but the reported surge in electricity imports indicates this is yet another area of pressure on the government.

Attempts were being made late yesterday to shorten debate on the new pension law in the Upper House by bundling the remaining amendments into acceptable and unacceptable packages reducing the remaining votes accordingly. Whether this has been achieved is not yet known to this blogger.