The French President Emmanuel Macron is under pressure: The ongoing Protest by the citizens with the yellow vests could be for him to test. Many French people to show the government a yellow card.
Arrival to the G20 summit: On the stairs of the French government machine at the airport of Buenos Aires Emmanuel Macron pushes the Hand of a security officer, wearing a neon yellow vest. Of all places. Such high-visibility vests are available in France these days, symbolic of the wrath of the citizens. Such a conciliatory gesture, a handshake with the “yellow West” is Emmanuel Macron, in Paris, far away.
France’s enfant terrible to feel left behind
While the President at the G20 summit in Argentina to discuss the situation in the world, does not break down the social unrest on the streets of France. Since mid-November, the French go of any age on the road, on country roads, traffic junctions and roundabouts. The “gilêt jaune” as the social movement itself is called, unites the most diverse layers of society. The common distinguishing feature: neon yellow safety jackets, defaced with slogans or messages to the government. “Ras-le-bol!” (Fed up!) is one of the nicer spells. Sparked the conflict was originally on the January 2019 planned fuel tax. But this dispute at the margins due to the General demand of the people for lower taxes. In the center of the Frusts: the declining purchasing power of the French.
Friends: Emmanuel Macron (R) with Justin Trudeau in Buenos Aires
“It is very difficult for this movement to be classified, because they in no way corresponds to the traditional demonstrations. What is new is that trade unions and political parties play no role,” says Bernard Vivier, a historian of social issues (the Institut Supérieur du Travail).
Atypical of the Protest against the Powerful, Vivier was not, after all, France had always been a Protest and not a consensus culture. The spontaneously arisen movement show the dissatisfaction of the French people against a Elite in Paris, which have lost adhesion to the floor. Memorable, however, is that the recent social movement “active, deliberately without a spine”, without the delegates, without a leader. Will organized everything on social media such as Facebook; the organizers wanted to avoid any kind of hierarchy, Vivier.
Macron is a risk of breakage with citizens
For experts, this is one of the reasons why the present government will do so is hard to find on the “gilêt jaune” is a suitable answer. “So far, the government around doctored in the method. They explain why they will not change their attitude. But a real dialogue will not take place,” the pollster Jerome Sainte-Marie of PollingVox.
The French want to be taken seriously. Macron had taken the risk to sell the rising gasoline prices finished quickly as the energy transition. “Take him to the French evil”, the political scientist Sainte-Marie. Instead of creating real incentives for energy transition, for example through higher taxation of certain types of vehicle, did he want to drive a car flat-rate increase. First of all the rural population have him designed as urban arrogance.
“It was like a digression from the Subject,” the assessment of the Maxim Of the Gayets of the Jean-Jaurès Foundation. The planned energy transition inevitably go at the expense of the purchasing power, have not been able to explain to the government so far in a transparent way. “Now some people have the feeling that you have to pay for it, others don’t”.
Political extremists will benefit
According to a survey by the polling Institute Opinion Way, 76 percent of the French are dissatisfied with the way the Élysée encountered the protests. The time, to find a consensus between road rage and policy, is not endless. Macron wants to stand as a loser who needs to find his government quickly, a way before others do, as Bernard Vivier.
Yellow jackets, red pyrotechnics: protests on the Champs-Élysées in Paris
So far, trade unions and politicians. None of the actors want to be accused of freeloading to be for their own advantage. However, this weekend, is eager to join forces for the first Time, France’s largest Union, the CGT (Confédération du Travail). Also the links are extremely applicable Ex-presidential candidate of “La France Insoumise”, Jean-Luc Melenchon, want to finally join in.
Emmanuel Macron, this could be a substantial Problem. Many of options do not remain the President says Bernard Vivier. He can now seek to be close to the trade unions as a credible Partner to offer a solution. Or he can wait and hope that the movement is fragmented, and the pressure subsides. However, at the latest, in may 2019, the French enfant terrible could make your Trouble even air at the elections polls in Europe. The winner would not be in the political middle.