IFP Exclusive

Yellow Vest Protests Force Macron to Suspend Fuel Tax Hikes

After several weeks of violent protests across France, particularly those in Paris which turned the capital into a battle zone, President Emmanuel Macron finally buckled and announced his government will suspend a controversial fuel duty rise.

French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe will announce the suspension today, according to a government source, after escalating violence and public outrage against the French president’s economic reforms caused the government to lose control over the citizens.

The violent protests posed the most formidable challenge yet to Macron’s presidency. According to French finance minister, three weeks of “yellow vest” protests strongly influenced the country’s economy, with trade in retailers, hotel chains, high-street stores, and restaurants significantly falling as a result of the unrest.

Bruno Le Maire said Monday the impact was severe and ongoing.

During Saturday’s disturbances in Paris, tourists were left shocked, with some saying they would cut short their visit.

The movement began on November 17 as a social-media-planned protest against fuel-tax rises but has since morphed into an uprising against the policies of President Emmanuel Macron.

The protests have taken on a name of its own: the “yellow vest” protests, a reference to the vests worn by people active in the transportation industry.

Three people have been killed in the protests since demonstrations started more than two weeks ago, police said.

French ambulance drivers on Monday joined the nationwide protests. They blamed the 40-year-old President Macron, whom they see as detached from the everyday struggles of ordinary people, for their woes.

Riot police, however, used tear gas to disperse the drivers demonstrating against a new medical transport finance reform in Paris.

Protesting ambulance workers demand the suspension of the new medical transport finance reform, which they say undercuts smaller ambulance companies.

At least 100 ambulance workers used their vehicles to block a bridge leading to the National Assembly, with paramedics screeching sirens and blocking access to the square from Rue de Rivoli.

IFP Editorial Staff

The IFP Editorial Staff is composed of dozens of skilled journalists, news-writers, and analysts whose works are edited and published by experienced editors specialized in Iran News. The editor of each IFP Service is responsible for the report published by the Iran Front Page (IFP) news website, and can be contacted through the ways mentioned in the "IFP Editorial Staff" section.

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