French government preparing to suspend fuel tax increases - source

[webfact]

French government preparing to suspend fuel tax increases - source

By Simon Carraud

 

A protester wearing a yellow vest, the symbol of a French drivers' protest against higher diesel fuel prices, holds a flag near burning debris at the approach to the A2 Paris-Brussels Motorway, in Fontaine-Notre-Dame, France, December 4, 2018. 

 

PARIS (Reuters) - The French government is preparing to suspend fuel tax increases, a government source said on Tuesday, following violent protests against the measures.

 

Prime Minister Edouard Philippe was due to announce the suspension later on Tuesday, the source added, in what would mark President Emmanuel Macron's first significant U-turn on a major policy since taking power in 2017.

 

The so-called "yellow vests" protests, which started on Nov. 17, were focused on denouncing a squeeze on household spending brought about by Macron's taxes on diesel, which he says are necessary to combat climate change and protect the environment.

 

However, they have since evolved into a bigger, general anti-Macron uprising, with many criticising the president for pursuing policies they claim favour the richest members of French society.

 

Protests in Paris on Saturday turned particularly violent, with the Arc de Triomphe defaced and avenues off the capital's Champs Elysees suffering damage.

 

The demonstrations have been given the "yellow vest" tag due to the fluorescent jackets kept in all vehicles in France, and the protests are estimated to have cost millions to the economy.

 

(Reporting by Simon Carraud and Marine Pennetier; Editing by Laurence Frost and Keith Weir)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-12-04

[JoePai]

555 love it - Macron you are pathetic and spineless  

[i claudius]

Just goes to show, do it the British way get screwed ,do it the French way,get what you want.


Sent from my SM-A720F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[thaibeachlovers]

More like they'll pretend to back down, and try to introduce it again when the public are engaged on something else- Xmas eve perhaps?

[KiChakayan]

15 hours ago, JoePai said:

555 love it - Macron you are pathetic and spineless  

Macron is ok. The French are a useless bunch; they reject reforms that have been made elsewhere years ago.

[jingjai9]

Could this be a glimpse of democracy in action? A breathe of fresh air for an Amreican where democracy has been Trumpcated.

 

[pehice]

Another ball-less government in France...

 

 

[Baerboxer]

6 hours ago, KiChakayan said:

Macron is ok. The French are a useless bunch; they reject reforms that have been made elsewhere years ago.

 

Macron is ok? He says he'll never back down to rioters.............................. then backs down!

 

What a brave, fearless inspirational leader! Probably off for another mega expensive haircut, buying some more crockery or clothes for his teacher wife on the state's expense!!

[dick dasterdly]

Just now, Baerboxer said:

 

Macron is ok? He says he'll never back down to rioters.............................. then backs down!

 

What a brave, fearless inspirational leader! Probably off for another mega expensive haircut, buying some more crockery or clothes for his teacher wife on the state's expense!!

Who cares?  The point is that Macron was forced to back off from his original decision, in the way thatcher was forced to back off from the poll tax.

 

Interestingly, the poll tax pretty much remained with only a few, small amendments that introduced a limit to the tax paid by those with extremely expensive houses..... (IIRC) and a reduction for people living alone?

Edited December 5, 2018 by dick dasterdly

[Krataiboy]

7 hours ago, KiChakayan said:

Macron is ok. The French are a useless bunch; they reject reforms that have been made elsewhere years ago.

Wrong. The ordinary people of France are rightly rising up against an arrogant arch globalist who is using mass third world immigration to undermine and destroy French sovereignty.

 

With luck, the equally downtrodden working classes of neighbouring EU countries will have the guts to follow their example and turn on their traitorous leaders.

 

 

 

 

Edited December 5, 2018 by Krataiboy

[Retiredandhappyhere]

13 hours ago, KiChakayan said:

Macron is ok. The French are a useless bunch; they reject reforms that have been made elsewhere years ago.

Some of the "reforms" mad elsewhere many years ago have not always been in the interests of the ordinary working person, but designed rather more to justify even higher Government expenditure and/or to make the rich even richer.