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| Macron calls on political, social and business leaders to help end protests | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Emmanuel Macron has called on all political, social and business leaders to issue a “clear and explicit” appeal for calm as France faced a new round of the gilets jaunes (yellow vests) protests which are threatening to destabilise his presidency. | |
| The gilets jaunes have called for further protests, while hauliers are being urged to strike and farmers have announced plans for demonstrations next week. It appears that government attempts to calm the insurrection by freezing a proposed fuel tax rise are failing. | |
| Speaking to the Assemblée National on Wednesday, a government spokesman, Benjamin Griveaux, told MPs: “Emmanuel Macron asks all the political and union organisations as well as business leaders to issue a clear and explicit appeal for calm.” | |
| Griveaux added: “What we are living through is no longer political opposition, but opposition to the republic.” | |
| Earlier in day, Griveaux said the government would consider reintroducing taxes on the wealthiest in what is seen as a further measure to appease the protesters. | |
| Lifting part of the impôt de solidarité sur la fortune (ISF, solidarity tax on wealth) was a pillar of Macron’s election campaign and one of the first fiscal measures he implemented on taking power in May 2017, leading to his nickname “president of the rich”. | Lifting part of the impôt de solidarité sur la fortune (ISF, solidarity tax on wealth) was a pillar of Macron’s election campaign and one of the first fiscal measures he implemented on taking power in May 2017, leading to his nickname “president of the rich”. |
| On Wednesday, as gilets jaunes vowed to continue protests that have seen parts of Paris in flames and violent clashes with police, Griveaux said the ISF could be reimposed. | |
| “If the measure we have taken doesn’t work, we’re not idiots, we’ll change it. But first we will have to evaluate it,” Griveaux told RTL radio, adding that the evaluation would happen next year. | “If the measure we have taken doesn’t work, we’re not idiots, we’ll change it. But first we will have to evaluate it,” Griveaux told RTL radio, adding that the evaluation would happen next year. |
| Reintroducing the wealth tax has been one of the demands of parts of the gilets jaunes movement that grew out of anger at rising taxes on petrol and diesel. | Reintroducing the wealth tax has been one of the demands of parts of the gilets jaunes movement that grew out of anger at rising taxes on petrol and diesel. |
| The French protests, like Brexit, are a raging cry for help from the disenfranchised | Pauline Bock | |
| The government has been forced into a change of direction after last Saturday’s scenes of running clashes with police, torched cars and buildings, and smashed shop fronts in one of Paris’s most exclusive areas, as well as damage to the Arc de Triomphe in a third week of protests. | The government has been forced into a change of direction after last Saturday’s scenes of running clashes with police, torched cars and buildings, and smashed shop fronts in one of Paris’s most exclusive areas, as well as damage to the Arc de Triomphe in a third week of protests. |
| On Tuesday, the French prime minister, Édouard Philippe, tried to calm the unrest by announcing a freeze on the fuel price rises and on the cost of electricity and gas. | On Tuesday, the French prime minister, Édouard Philippe, tried to calm the unrest by announcing a freeze on the fuel price rises and on the cost of electricity and gas. |
| Thomas Mirallès, an unofficial spokesman for the gilets jaunes movement in Perpignan, said it was too little too late. | |
| “This looks very much like a kind of winter truce, a way of getting through Christmas peacefully,” Miralles said. “Who’s to say the government will not come back in force with these taxes in the spring?” | “This looks very much like a kind of winter truce, a way of getting through Christmas peacefully,” Miralles said. “Who’s to say the government will not come back in force with these taxes in the spring?” |
| Various gilets jaunes organisers have called for wider social reforms, including a rise in the minimum wage and higher taxes on international companies such as Google and Amazon. | |
| Easing the ISF for the wealthy was described by one political commentator as Macron’s “original sin” and has been regarded as socially divisive at a time when French workers have felt increasingly squeezed financially. | |
| The ISF was imposed on those worth more than €1.3m (£1.2m) including their main residence. It has been replaced by the impôt sur la fortune immobilière (ISI), which in effect lifted or reduced the tax on certain properties, share portfolios and life assurances. | |
| Last year, Philippe said the move would make the country more attractive to investors and stop wealthy people leaving France. The ISI came into effect in January and Griveaux has said it will take 18 to 24 months to see if it brings in more revenue. | Last year, Philippe said the move would make the country more attractive to investors and stop wealthy people leaving France. The ISI came into effect in January and Griveaux has said it will take 18 to 24 months to see if it brings in more revenue. |
| The gilets jaunes have been calling for another day of action on Saturday while trying to organise some kind of popular leadership. Previous attempts have led to threats being made against protesters putting themselves forward to give media interviews or meet elected representatives. | The gilets jaunes have been calling for another day of action on Saturday while trying to organise some kind of popular leadership. Previous attempts have led to threats being made against protesters putting themselves forward to give media interviews or meet elected representatives. |
| Who are the gilets jaunes and what do they want? | |
| André Lannée suggested organising Facebook referendums to elect two gilets jaunes representatives for every region.Once elected, he said, the group could then propose new legislation. | André Lannée suggested organising Facebook referendums to elect two gilets jaunes representatives for every region.Once elected, he said, the group could then propose new legislation. |
| “We will arrive at the Elysée with a demand. It will be an official delegation, legitimate as it has been elected by popular referenda. We are not going to smash anything up, there is no interest in smashing up our country.” He concluded: “We let nothing go; we continue.” | “We will arrive at the Elysée with a demand. It will be an official delegation, legitimate as it has been elected by popular referenda. We are not going to smash anything up, there is no interest in smashing up our country.” He concluded: “We let nothing go; we continue.” |
| Across the country, protests and blockades by high school students opposed to plans to introduce criteria for university entrance – at present it is open to anyone with a baccalauréat pass – added to the air of crisis and insurrection in France. | |
| The Chamber of Commerce and Industry claimed 142 shops and businesses had been seriously damaged by last Saturday’s clashes in central Paris. An additional 95 were less seriously damaged. | |
| Philippe said the government would be “intractable” with those wishing to loot, smash and burn the city. | |
| France’s main unions are planning a joint meeting on Thursday and transport leaders are to meet the government minister Élisabeth Borne after calls for a hauliers’ strike from next Sunday. | |
| Blockages at petrol refineries have led to fuel shortages in certain regions and gilets jaunes continue to block a number of refineries, roads and commercial centres. | |
| Recent polls reflect conflicting findings: an IFOP survey found 72% of people in France still support the gilets jaunes movement but not the violence. Another poll by BVA found 70% of people thought the freeze in the fuel tax rises should mean the end of the protests. | |
| An IFOP poll showed Macron’s popularity had dropped to a new low of 23%. | |
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