France’s president, Emmanuel Macron, is well-known as an “Uber-liberal” — a connection highlighted by the recent Uber Files revelations, which called attention to his collaboration with lobbyists for the ride-hailing firm during his spell as economy minister. In recent years, this platform, like similar ones, has been a Trojan horse for attacks on employment standards and a race to the bottom on workers’ rights, widely known as Uberization.

Yet not everyone in French politics has bowed to these new masters. Leila Chaibi is a France Insoumise representative in the European Parliament, where she is part of The Left group. She has taken up platform workers’ demands within the EU’s institutions, including through her work on a European directive that would recognize these workers as employees — and force states to ensure minimum labor and social security standards. According to European Commission estimates, up to 5.5 million platform workers around the continent are currently misclassified as self-employed, out of 28 million in total.

Moves toward such legislation saw several important steps in recent days. First, at an EU Council session, the right-wing Czech presidency — on the side of the platforms — proposed an amended text, watering down the one that had gone through the Commission. But seven states rebuffed this move. Then, on December 12, the European Parliament’s Employment and Social Affairs Committee struck a more pro-worker deal. The text will provide the basis for a negotiating mandate with the EU Council and European Commission.