France: protests invade the country

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After three weeks of intense protests, Macron slowly gives way. However, will it be enough?

Since mid-November, the streets of France have been filled with demonstrators, many supporting the group called "yellow vests". The reason? The president's decision to increase the price of fuel. According to Emmanuel Macron, the price increase was justified in environmental reasons "because it had to comply with the pacts at the European level", as Sipse affirms.

Leer en español: Francia: las protestas invaden al país

However, the explanations did not bear fruit and more and more French joined the march. Of the three major demonstrations that occurred, the first left 117 people in detention; the second 130 and the third 400. In addition, in this last 12 journalists from the middle RT were injured, as stated by the same media.

In view of the constant aggression on the part of the demonstrators, on Wednesday, December 5, Macron decided to cancel the fuel rate for 2019. In addition, he asked the protesters, unions, and policemen for a bit of calm. However, this calm seems not to come soon. The demonstration, incited by the "yellow vests" has joined the student sector, the truck sector, and the largest agrarian association in the country.

The "Yellow Vests"

There is no doubt that they were the ones who initiated the wave of protests. And curious as it may seem, the union of these people came through a petition on the Change.org website. There, through signatures, they asked that the price of fuel not be raised. From that moment, Facebook groups were created where the different marches were called, as indicated by El Confidencial.

However, despite the massive response and participation, the "yellow vests" do not have a clear ideology and it seems that many were dispersed within the movement. They are many individuals within a movement, whose central objective was to protest the new price of fuels.

Despite this, there is no doubt that the yellow vests were an important part of the demonstrations and that through these, different sectors also had the courage to express their discontent with a government, which seems to have no fixed direction.

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The new manifestations

In addition, of the "yellow jackets", the students also marched protesting the application of a new system of access to the university and the reforms to the baccalaureate. In addition, they closed schools, marched to the beat of a chorus: "Macron resignation" and demanded the resignation of the Minister of Education, Jean-Michel Blanquer.

Also, the different truckers unions protest the reduction of fees to overtime "they called marches on Sunday night and asked to meet with the Minister of Transport, Elisabeth Borne", as Excelsior says. Also, the most important agrarian sectors of the country joined the demonstrations.

And Macron?

Since President Emmanuel Macron, arrived from the G20 has not left his residence and has refused to speak publicly about the protests, as mentioned by EFE. Since taking office in May 2017, Macron's popularity has gone IGNORE INTO a tailspin.

This is reflected in the survey conducted by the French newspaper Le Figaro, where 83% of the French approve what was done by the "yellow vests" and 76% ask the president to give them convincing explanations. On the other hand, in the month of November and according to a survey conducted by the IFOP firm, only 25% approve the management.

Added to this, is the fact that for some, Macron is the "president of the rich", since his proposals benefit the business sector more than the French population.

What will happen now?

Despite trying to calm the waters with the announcement that there would be no increases in fuel, the truth is that this is one of the worst crises that the country has had. So much so that it has been compared with the one that happened in May '68.

In addition to this, it shows a Macron little prepared to handle the country. Many have even compared him to Napoleon Bonaparte, who called himself Emperor of the French, "The Bonapartist method that was successful at the beginning to launch its reforms is no longer adequate," Philippe Moreau-Chevrolet told AFP.

There is no doubt that the presence of Macron in front of a chaotic France is necessary. You will have to put aside the interests you raised in your campaign to listen to the people, and thus avoid a civil war.

LatinAmerican Post | Laura Viviana Guevara Muñoz

Translated from "Francia: las protestas invaden al país"