ABSTRACT
In the French case, after the Great Recession, successive political initiatives have attempted to change the legislative conditions regulating the institutional features characteristic of the French economy. Thus, under the presidency of François Hollande and, subsequently, Emmanuel Macron, reforms affecting the functioning of the economy were promoted in this regard. Both leaders saw their popularity severely eroded as a result and had to amend some of their initial plans. Moreover, the starting point of the reformers was similar. In both cases, the loss of competitiveness and the high level of unemployment in the French economy were attributed to the alleged malfunctioning of institutions linked to the functioning of the labor market. In both cases, they were based on the example of Germany. In Italy, there were reforms after the Great Recession. The technocrat, pro-austerity government of the crisis years adopted a Pension Reform and a Jobs Act which were very unpopular.
