Global EditionASIA 中文雙語Fran?ais
World
Home / World / Europe

France's Macron hunts for way out of 'yellow vest' crisis

Updated: 2018-12-03 19:11
Share
Share - WeChat
A yellow vest hangs inside a vandalized store front the morning after clashes with protesters wearing yellow vests, a symbol of a French drivers' protest against higher diesel fuel taxes, in Paris, France, Dec 2, 2018. [Photo/Agencies]

PARIS - France's prime minister met with opposition leaders on Monday as President Emmanuel Macron sought a way to defuse nationwide protests over high living costs that led to widespread rioting in Paris at the weekend and are hurting the economy.

The "yellow vest" revolt caught Macron unawares when it erupted on Nov 17 and poses a formidable challenge to the 40-year-old as he tries to counter a plunge in popularity over his economic reforms, which are seen as favouring the wealthy.

Riot police were overrun on Saturday as protesters wrought havoc in Paris's fanciest neighbourhoods, torching dozens of cars, looting boutiques and smashing up luxury private homes and cafes in the worst disturbances the capital has seen since 1968.

The unrest is hitting the economy: hotel reservations are down, retailers are suffering, unsettling investors, and Total said some of its filling stations were running dry.

Tourism and transport stocks fell in an otherwise buoyant market.

Emerging from Prime Minister Edouard Philippe's office, opposition leader Laurent Wauquiez of the centre-right Les Republicains said the government failed to understand the depth of public anger.

French conservative party Les Republicains (LR or The Republicans) leader Laurent Wauquiez talks to journalists after a meeting with French Prime Minister as the "yellow vest" nationwide protests continue, at the Hotel Matignon in Paris, France, Dec 3, 2018. [Photo/Agencies]

"The only outcome from this meeting was word of a debate in parliament," Wauquiez told reporters. "What we need are gestures that appease, and these must be born out of the one decision every Frenchman is waiting for: scrapping (fuel) tax hikes."

The "yellow vest" movement, whose supporters cut across age, job profile and geographical region, began online as an impromptu rebellion against higher fuel prices but has morphed into a broader outpouring of anger over the squeeze that living costs are putting on middle-class household budgets.

The movement's members come principally from the hard-pressed middle class and blue-collar workers living outside the big cities, but it also has more radical fringe elements. It has no clear leadership, making talks all the more complicated for the government.

Their core demand is a freeze on further planned fuel tax increases -- the next is due in January -- and measures to bolster spending power. But they have also called for Macron to go, and many talk up the idea of revolution.

The government is struggling for a way to engage.

"Making a small gesture and then sweeping the problem under the carpet, just as has always been done for the last 30 years, does nothing to solve the deeper, structural problems," government spokesman Benjamin Griveaux told France Inter radio.

Public support for the "yellow vests" remains high, with seven in 10 people backing their protest, a Harris Interactive opinion poll conducted after Saturday's unrest suggested.

Most Viewed in 24 Hours
Top
BACK TO THE TOP
English
Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site.
License for publishing multimedia online 0108263

Registration Number: 130349
FOLLOW US
主站蜘蛛池模板: 91高清免费国产自产| 亚洲一区二区三区91| 韩国理论电影午夜三级717| 在线视频精品一区| 久久久久久人妻一区二区三区| 欧美日韩精彩视频| 又爽又高潮的BB视频免费看| 欧美人与动性xxxxbbbb| 大胸美女洗澡扒奶衣挤奶| 久久99中文字幕久久| 欧美三级视频在线播放| 伊人不卡久久大香线蕉综合影院| 视频一区二区在线播放| 国产精品公开免费视频| chinese猛攻打桩机体育生| 无遮挡很污很爽很黄的网站| 亚洲jizzjizz妇女| 波多野结衣在线一区二区| 可知子与野鸟君日文| 黄页网址大全免费观看22| 国产精品黄页网站在线播放免费| 一级性生活免费| 日本熟妇色熟妇在线视频播放| 亚洲成在人线电影天堂色| 第九色区AV天堂| 国产jizzjizz视频全部免费| 久草网视频在线| 国产精品视频九九九| jlzzjlzz亚洲乱熟无码| 成年人在线免费看视频| 久久精品中文騷妇女内射| 欧美人与动性行为网站免费| 亚洲综合一区无码精品| 精品久久洲久久久久护士免费| 国产区图片区小说区亚洲区| h视频在线观看免费网站| 在线亚洲小视频| selaoban在线视频免费精品| 成人国产精品2021| 久久久久久亚洲精品中文字幕| 最新欧美精品一区二区三区|