"UberPop must be dismantled and made illegal," Hollande said at a press conference in Brussels during the European Council summit. "And cars will have to be seized. But we live by the rule of law and the state won't seize the cars itself, it must be authorised to do so by a court decision."
French taxi drivers staged a violent protest against Uber on Thursday, blocking access to Paris's airports and burning tyres outside the city. While driving a Paris taxi requires buying a licence that can cost over ^100,000 ($112,000), there is no such obligation for Uber drivers.
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French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve filed a complaint against the company for organising illegal transportation services, AFP reported. The protests are specifically against the discount UberPop service, which enables mobile-phone users to ride with drivers who might not have a commercial licence.
"There is a problem, that must be solved. It's a tricky problem: Unfair competition by a company," Hollande said. "Not respecting the laws, the labor rules, the fiscal rules, that's illegal."
Hollande also condemned yesterday's violence, calling it "unacceptable" and "unbearable for the image of our country."
The French justice system hasn't declared Uber's service illegal, Uber said in a statement.