What were the Grenelle Accords of May 1968?

The Grenelle Accords (also known as the Grenelle Agreement) were a set of negotiations concluded on May 27, 1968, during the height of the student-worker revolt in France.12

Negotiated by the French government, led by then-premier Georges Pompidou, and representatives of workers and employers, the accords were intended to resolve the massive general strike that had paralyzed the country. The terms of the agreement provided for substantial wage increases and improved working conditions for laborers.12

Despite these concessions, the workers initially rejected the accords, and the strikes continued for a time. While the agreement was a significant attempt by the state to restore order, the crisis was ultimately quelled through a combination of these negotiations, Charles de Gaulle's strategic radio address on May 30, and the subsequent call for new elections, which signaled a public desire for stability.21