On Tuesday, French Prime Minister Édouard Philippe announced that the government will suspend a small increase in taxes on gas and diesel that sparked three weekends of "yellow vest" protests in Paris and other cities. The moratorium on the new tax, set to take effect in January, was President Emmanuel Marcon's first concession to the protesters, and it's unclear if it will mollify them. Though the protests were sparked by the gas tax, they have gained steam over a widespread perception that Macron's policies favor the wealthy. "We want a better distribution of wealth, salary increases," said Yellow Vests spokesman Benjamin Cauchy. "It's about the whole baguette, not just the crumbs."
The protests reached a violent peak last weekend, with damage estimated at $4.5 million in Paris from burned cars and other vandalism; someone spray-painted "We've chopped off heads for less than this" on the Arc de Triomphe. Tourism is also down amid the protests. More than 220 people were arrested in Paris on Saturday, and three people have died since the unrest started in mid-November.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Valle dell'Erica Thalasso & Spa: a tranquil haven in SardiniaThe Week Recommends This family-friendly resort is steps from the sea and boasts a well-equipped kids' club
-
America's controversial path to the atomic bombIn Depth The bombing of Hiroshima followed years of escalation by the U.S., but was it necessary?
-
Codeword: August 6, 2025The Week's daily codeword puzzle
-
India rejects Trump threat over Russian oilSpeed Read The president said he would raise tariffs on India for buying and selling Russian oil
-
NY's Hochul vows response to Texas gerrymanderSpeed Read Gov. Kathy Hochul has promised to play ball with redistricting that favors the Democrats
-
Texas Democrats exit state to block redistricting voteSpeed Read More than 51 legislators fled the state in protest of the GOP's plan to redraw congressional districts
-
Trump criticized for firing BLS chief after jobs reportSpeed Read Bureau of Labor Statistics chief Erika McEntarfer oversaw a July jobs report that the president claims was rigged
-
Trump revives K-12 Presidential Fitness TestSpeed Read The Obama administration phased the test out in 2012, replacing it with a program focused on overall health rather than standardized benchmarks
-
El Salvador scraps term limits, boosting Nayib BukeleSpeed Read New constitutional changes will allow presidents to seek reelection an indefinite number of times
-
Trump assigns tariffs, delays all except on CanadaSpeed Read A 35% tariff on many Canadian goods has gone into effect
-
Harris rules out run for California governorSpeed Read The 2024 Democratic presidential nominee ended months of speculation about her plans for the contest
