Suspension of Fuel Tax Increase and Electricity and Gas Prices Following Widespread Protests in France

The French government, in a significant turnaround to calm the atmosphere and appease protesters who have held widespread demonstrations in Paris and other parts of the country in recent weeks, has suspended the plan to increase fuel taxes and the prices of electricity and gas. According to the Associated Press, Prime Minister Édouard Philippe announced this decision in a televised speech on Tuesday, three days after the most intense political unrest in decades in Paris. Thus, the French government has retreated from its plan, which was set to be implemented in January, delaying it until summer. Philippe stated, "No tax is worth risking the unity of the nation." This comes despite the Prime Minister emphasizing three weeks ago that the government would not change its decision and was determined to reduce the consumption of fossil fuels and pollutants. In Saturday's protests in Paris, over a hundred people were injured, 412 were arrested, and dozens of vehicles were set on fire. Around the Champs-Élysées, several shops were looted, and many cars were burned. The Arc de Triomphe, which is the burial site of the unknown soldier and was visited by world leaders last month during the World War I memorial ceremony, was also damaged. Philippe added, "Violence must stop." He also announced that the plan to increase gas and electricity prices would be suspended until May 2019 to improve people's purchasing power. However, it is unlikely that the French government's decision will stop the protests, and it is expected that protests will continue this Saturday. A football match between Paris Saint-Germain and Montpellier, scheduled for Saturday, has been canceled due to police concerns about the spread of unrest and lack of security guarantees. The Prime Minister stated, "If there are to be further protests on Saturday, they must be approved by the responsible authorities and conducted peacefully. The Ministry of the Interior will take all necessary measures to maintain order." The Associated Press adds that on Tuesday, protesters continued to disrupt access to several fuel depots and stated that these protest actions would continue. Ségolène Royal, a socialist politician and former presidential candidate, welcomed the government's decision but said it was taken too late. She added, "This decision should have been made at the very beginning of the crisis. We felt that the situation would become very complicated because the protesters, especially retirees, were very angry. The more severe a crisis becomes, the more the government ultimately has to retreat." Marine Le Pen, the leader of the far-right in France, criticized the government's decision, calling it insufficient. On Monday, following protests that have continuously disrupted Paris and other parts of France for the past three Saturdays, Édouard Philippe met with representatives of major political parties. Emmanuel Macron, facing the most severe protests of his presidency since May 2017, has canceled his trip to Serbia. These protests began about three weeks ago in opposition to the fuel tax increase but have gradually encompassed other grievances against the French government. Protesters claim that Macron's government does not pay attention to the problems of ordinary people. Since the protests began on November 17, four people have died, and hundreds have been injured in clashes with police or accidents resulting from the unrest.