Paris – The French government’s decision to suspend fuel tax and utility hikes Tuesday did little to appease protesters, who called it a “first step”…
Paris – The French government’s decision to suspend fuel tax and utility hikes Tuesday did little to appease protesters, who called it a “first step” and vowed to fight on after large-scale rioting in Paris last weekend.
In a major U-turn for the government, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe announced in a live televised address that the planned increases, which were set to be introduced in January, were now being postponed until the summer.
The backpedaling appeared to be designed to calm the nation, coming three days after the worst unrest on the streets of Paris in decades.
“No tax is worth putting the nation’s unity in danger,” said Philippe, just three weeks after insisting that the government wouldn’t change course and remained determined to help wean French consumers off polluting fossils fuels.
Protesters wearing their signature fluorescent yellow vests kept blocking several fuel depots Tuesday and many insisted their fight wasn’t over.
“It’s a first step, but we will not settle for a crumb,” Benjamin Cauchy, a protest leader.
More than 100 people were injured in the French capital and 412 arrested over the weekend in Paris, with dozens of cars torched.
