France's Macron Learns the Hard Way: Green Taxes Carry Political Risks

[TomSea]

France's Macron Learns the Hard Way: Green Taxes Carry Political Risks
Reuters

By Bate Felix

PARIS (Reuters) - When Emmanuel Macron rose to power, he put the environment at the heart of his agenda. Eighteen months later, anger over those policies has stoked protests that are a huge challenge for the French president.

Rioters torched cars and buildings in central Paris on Saturday following two weeks of protests caused partly by higher fuel taxes which Macron says are needed to fight climate change. Some protesters called for him to resign.

Macron's plight illustrates a conundrum: How do political leaders' introduce policies that will do long-term good for the environment without inflicting extra costs on voters that may damage their chances of re-election?

Read more at: https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2018-12-02/frances-macron-learns-the-hard-way-green-taxes-carry-political-risks

This is a bit surprising that this is over "green taxes" and Voice of Europe says the working or middle class are the ones doing most of this protesting. Is the tax mainly on diesel fuel? That would be interesting. It mentions diesel in the article.

[Fishrrman]

The French seem to have a habit of "rioting for rioting's sake".

Or, as suggested by the mayor of Baltimore, perhaps they just "need room to destroy" now and then...

[dfwgator]

The French seem to have a habit of "rioting for rioting's sake".

 

White Riot!
I wanna Riot!

White Riot!
A Riot of my own!