I cannot hire as I cannot fire.

That's from a Bloomberg report on French employment laws. People want the benefits without the costs. Consider this; if you are bad at your job and get fired, it is the employer's way of staying in business which makes the other jobs at that business possible.

As someone putting up the capital to make the business run, private employers have to be able to pull the plug when they see their investment going the wrong way.

That's not the case in France. Cheque this out.