Posted on 12/04/2018 3:56:36 AM PST by Sub-Driver
France suspends controversial fuel tax after weeks of unrest
By James McAuley December 4 at 6:40 AM
PARIS — French Prime Minister Édouard Philippe announced Tuesday that the French government would temporarily suspend the controversial carbon tax plan that triggered weeks of often violent protests around the country.
To help curb climate change, the government had proposed a slew of new carbon taxes that were slated to take effect in January 2019 and were designed to wean consumers off diesel and other polluting fuels and to favor electric cars. But the price hikes those taxes represented triggered a wave of social unrest unseen in recent years that quickly became a full-blown crisis.
For the better part of three weeks, protesters — clad in high-visibilty yellow vests — took to the streets across the country. In Paris especially, the scenes were particularly violent, with protesters defacing monuments, torching cars and smashing shop windows. The government has weighed the possibility of imposing a “state of emergency” to quell the unrest
Tuesday’s announcement — a six-month suspension of the proposed taxes — represented a major reversal for a government that had initially stood its ground. President Emmanuel Macron, who won the French presidential election in a landslide in 2017, has struggled to maintain his popularity, with critics accusing him of being out of touch with the concerns of ordinary people.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
How can we save the planet without taxing something?
Note the use of the word “temporarily”....
Winning! The gilets jaunes forced the French government into a humiliating climbdiwn.
People power works. Tax increases have been scrapped.
Yesterday police took of their helmets in a show of solidarity with the yellow jackets. Perhaps Macron was advised that this was how Romanian Commie Caucescu ended up getting thrown in front of a firing squad.
It’s not winning yet. The suspension is TEMPORARY. And every headline I’ve seen that far has left that word out.
Heard yesterday that the protesters were chanting “we want Trump”
I think its for good.
Its an unmitigated defeat for the arrogant blowhard Macron. His central policy has been repudiated not only by the French people but by his own government.
The tax hikes are dead.
They’ve been delayed for six months.
And I’m wondering if the suspension will be in place only until the French government can get new laws passed banning protests.
L8r
Try never. Reimposing them is politically impossible. People will be back in the streets should they re-emerge.
The French government is talking about infringing on its citizens’ right to protest. Do you really think that same government will walk away from thsee tax hikes?
Force is not going to work. You might as well hold back the tide with your finger.
Do you ever read the article posted at the top of a thread?
Seriously? "Maintain his popularity"? He would dance naked in the street if he had Trump's popularity!
They will find another way to abuse their people.
That will be a flash point for more protest. If the government wants to commit suicide, no one can stop it.
The message about taxes has been delivered.
Oh, I agree with you. But this is France. And their governments have a long term memory problem.
They should keep protesting until the taxes are repealed. Suspend means that they will be coming back as soon as the good French citizens/subjects/slaves will stop marching and protesting.
The message has been delivered, all right. And I’m betting the government will respond with a draconian plan to crack down on protesters.
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