Title: Why are the ‘yellow vests’ protesting in France? | Emmanuel Macron | Al Jazeera
Headings: Why are the ‘yellow vests’ protesting in France?
OPINION
Why are the ‘yellow vests’ protesting in France?
Misleading the electorate
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Macron’s disdain for the poor
The protests are not rejecting climate change action

Content: 10 Dec 2018
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Protesters wearing yellow vests occupy a roundabout in Cissac-Medoc, France on December 5, 2018. The slogan reads 'Urgent, purchase power, dignity for all' [Regis Duvignau/Reuters]
For the past three weeks, France has been experiencing one of the most significant social mobilisations in its recent history, which laid bare the country’s social ills, anti-elite sentiment, growing inequalities and thirst for social justice. It all started on November 17 when tens of thousands of people took to the streets across the country to protest against rising fuel prices. The protesters, dubbed “Les gilets jaunes” (the yellow vests) after the high-visibility jackets they adopted as a symbol of their complaint, blocked roundabouts, burned effigies and clashed with the police. They were angry about the almost 20 percent increase in the price of diesel since the start of the year, as well as the planned fuel tax hike President Emmanuel Macron had recently announced. While Macron said the tax was necessary to “protect the environment” and “combat climate change”, protesters claimed the decision was yet another sign that the “arrogant” and “privileged” president is out of touch with regular folk struggling to make ends meet. The intensity of the protests quickly forced the government to make a U-turn and first suspend and later permanently shelve its plans for fuel tax increases. However, the protest movement was not only about fuel prices. It encompassed wider anger and frustration against the political establishment in general and President Macron in particular. As a result, the government’s decision to abandon fuel tax hikes failed to calm tensions.