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© (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2018.Macron makes U-turn on fuel-tax increases in face of protests
By Simon Carraud and Michel Rose PARIS©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.
17 Comments
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cla68
A better name for the fuel tax is “climate change “ tax since it was to help France pay for its share of wealth redistribution under the Paris Accord. Apparently, Europeans no longer believe in global warming once you try to raise their gas prices by 16%.
CrazyJoe
This is what I love about France. Direct action by the citizens, rather than hand-wringing and complaining. Why do they do it? Because it works.
Jimizo
I remember a quote along the lines of the French government fearing its citizens rather than the citizens fearing their government.
I’d take that over tough-talking keyboard warriors bleating because they don’t understand or like science.
PTownsend
Looks like the oil and gas cabal plans to enslave citizens around the globe keeping their nation's economies dependent on burning ever larger amounts of oil and gas, breathing pollutants and contributing to climate change.
All Europeans? That's probably true for the Russians, some of whom, including those in St. Petersburg and the 'western' parts of the country, who know their country's future depends on selling more gas and oil. But the rest of Europe? Your source?
And did you mean climate change?
.
JeffLee
Regular people in the West are getting tired of policymakers and leaders who don't represent their interests. Unless these officials drop their unpopular policies and smarmy attitude, populism will only spread.
Bintaro
The French, experts in revolutions since 1789.
As I wrote yesterday, taxing fuel is useless if people don't have access to alternatives. People can't afford electric cars, and there are too few charging stations in the country. The government also chose to close numerous train lines, forcing people to be more dependent on cars, therefore dependent on fuel. This is not a climate change tax, this is the government putting the fiscal burden on the poorest.
Said the head of government whose first act in power was to give the rich billions in tax cuts.
The people of France understands it got duped and is now fighting for equality.
ReturningGrace
People don't think about global warming when they can't make it to the end of the month. Looks like it won't stop anytime soon. Macron is too stubborn and treats his people like idiots. If he took a good look at himself, he would have a clue as to why the people had to resort to violence. Their vests look more neon than yellow. Maybe they should also bring their hard hat and steel toes boots.
goldorak
Had a look at their 'grievance' list. Some interesting measures:
a minimum (eur 1,500/month) AND a maximum (eur 15,000) salary
higher taxes for big multinationals, less for 'artisans' and other independent workers
reinstatement of the solidarity tax on wealth
zero homelessness
more help for legal migrants (french/civic classes etc) yet deport all illegal/undocumented/rejected applicantsBintaro
For those who think the french people changed its mind on climate change, here are some demands of the Gilets Jaunes movement :
Big housing insulation plan (doing ecology while allowing household to save money)
End the CICE (companies tax break). Use this money to create a French hydrogen car enterprise.
Favor cargo transportation by rail.
And according to polls, 93% of the population believes in climate change, 76% believe it's a worrisome problem, 59% think the problem is underestimated.
PTownsend
How closely connected is Macron's government to French oil giant Total and others in the oil and gas industries.
I know Total is partnering with different Russian oil companies, so if that's the case it's more likely those who think climate change is nonsense are employed by the oil industry or are employees of one of Russia's armies of paid trolls pushing the Russian oil and gas agenda.
Goodlucktoyou
This is why democracy sux. I was part of 3.5 million people in the peaceful Stop The War protest in London, but bliar went ahead and 500000 Iraqis dead and counting.
Chop Chop
What an embarrassment for dummy Macroni? Big talk and surrender in the end. I wonder who will vote for Macron in next general Election. Macron was looking for fame and hungry for power and hoping to take German Chancellor Angela Merkel position in the European Union.
Texas A&M Aggie
The French are catching on that all this climate change garbage is nothing more than socialism pack of lies. It has never been about saving the planet; but rather, it is about both wealth redistribution and control. Gotta give them credit, though. Socialist elites are a determined bunch. They never give up designing new ways to try to sell their huge bag of horse dung to their unwashed masses.
Strangerland
Once again we have a poster trying to convince us that because they believe a right-wing American political ideology over facts, science, and you know, reality, means that we should be as illogical and ridiculous as to be as low intelligent as they are to believe their anti-global climate change religion.
And let's be clear, it's the same as a religion as it requires faith, and is not based in reality.
Why would we ever be so silly as to believe a right-wing American politically ideological religion? We aren't bred on your news bubble, so we aren't being brainwashed by the propaganda like you.
Bintaro
Yo ! Look 4 comments up, I posted their demands to the government and climate change is part of it !
France is not America. People there actually care about the truth, health and the environment.