President Emanuel Macron presented the plan for transition to clean energy. In his speech, he also appealed to the postulates of „yellow vests” and condemned the acts of aggression that took place during the protests. The president explained that the government will not change its position on the tax. However, he called for nationwide talks at the local level and to find solutions that would allow the tax to be adjusted to global fuel price increases.
The French president expressed solidarity with those citizens who peacefully went out into the streets to express their weakness in the face of increased taxes and costs of living:
I really understand expectations and frustrations, suppressed anger, resentments and bitterness that citizens feel about the authority that may seem far and indifferent,” President Macron said.
At the same time, he stressed that France cannot afford to change its direction in terms of environmentally-friendly policies, because they are „correct and necessary”. The President reminded that the victims of global warming and air pollution are all French citizens and the longer France will postpone the necessary changes, the more serious will be the effects of inaction.
Rising oil prices and new tax created a domino effect
President Macron also noted that one of the reasons for such a high price of fuel is, in addition to tax, the global rise in oil prices, which overlapped in time with the increase in tax on diesel and caused a domino effect.
He proposed that in the next three months special committees at the local level, composed of social actors and citizens, should find solutions and create a protection program. It would be aimed at monitoring global fuel prices and adjusting the tax to market realities. This is to protect citizens against sudden jumps in global markets.
Nous allons bâtir un agenda de solutions et de protection durant les 3 mois qui viennent en mobilisant l’ensemble des territoires, des acteurs sociaux, des citoyens.
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) November 27, 2018
Jason Herbert, one of the spokespersons of the „yellow vests” told BFM TV that the three-month agreement announced by Emmanuel Macron „goes in the right direction, but it is not strong enough in the sense that the situation is really urgent”.
Photo: Screenshot Twitter/EmmanuelMacron