France suspends controversial fuel tax after weeks of unrest

Washington Post ^

[Sub-Driver]

France suspends controversial fuel tax after weeks of unrest

By James McAuley December 4 at 6:40 AM

PARIS — French Prime Minister Édouard Philippe announced Tuesday that the French government would temporarily suspend the controversial carbon tax plan that triggered weeks of often violent protests around the country.

To help curb climate change, the government had proposed a slew of new carbon taxes that were slated to take effect in January 2019 and were designed to wean consumers off diesel and other polluting fuels and to favor electric cars. But the price hikes those taxes represented triggered a wave of social unrest unseen in recent years that quickly became a full-blown crisis.

For the better part of three weeks, protesters — clad in high-visibilty yellow vests — took to the streets across the country. In Paris especially, the scenes were particularly violent, with protesters defacing monuments, torching cars and smashing shop windows. The government has weighed the possibility of imposing a “state of emergency” to quell the unrest

Tuesday’s announcement — a six-month suspension of the proposed taxes — represented a major reversal for a government that had initially stood its ground. President Emmanuel Macron, who won the French presidential election in a landslide in 2017, has struggled to maintain his popularity, with critics accusing him of being out of touch with the concerns of ordinary people.

[Elsie]

After being insulted?

[Elsie]

Nope...

 

 

 

 

When these wells go dry; the France will be even nicer to it's Islamic (oil producers) population.

Gotta attach the pipeline to SOMETHING!

 

But WAIT!!

 

France passes law to ban all oil and gas production by 2040

https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/energy/2017/.../france...oil.../966132001/

Dec 19, 2017 - PARIS — France's parliament has approved a law banning all exploration

and production of oil and natural gas by 2040 within the country and its overseas territories.

Under that law that passed a final vote on Tuesday, existing drilling permits will not

be renewed and no new exploration licenses will be granted.

[njslim]

As Talleyrand said of the ANCIEN REGIME

They have learned nothing and they have forgot nothing

[Tench_Coxe]

I think it was Stuart Varney who mentioned that politicians in the US should pay attention to what is going on in France if they're planning on pulling that stumt.

I'm guessing the lesson (wrong one) is: we need more gun control and also need to beef up our personal security.

On Fox this morning, sounds like the powers-that-be are trying to prep the public for a bailout of public pensions.

Don't be surprised if talk comes up again about seizing 401k monies. I suspect that would be a big red line for people if politicians were stupid enough to try it.

[outofsalt]

"How MUCH were the taxes to make it $7.00 a gallon??"

I looked last week and gas was about $5.80/gallon in Paris.

[Spiridon]

The protesters aren’t fooled. They called it a “peanut”.

[tennmountainman]

Macron is in deep do.
The French people may have his head before its all said and done.

[Spiridon]

Nextrush has put this on his blog this morning and the story is that the protesters aren’t fooled one bit and that students are starting protests of their own at high schools.

Its looks like distaste for the government is spreading.

https://nextrushfree.blogspot.com/2018/12/france-breaking-fuel-tax-moratorium-is.html

[hardspunned]

Yeah, but this idiot really thinks he’s saving the planet. I don’t believe he’s just a sideshow huckster like AlGore out to make a billion bucks.

[JohnBrowdie]

no. never. I’ve asked the same question myself.

[null and void]

People power works. Tax increases have been scrapped.

TEMPORARILY

[redfreedom]

The tax suspension is similar to a death row inmate getting a stay of execution. Sooner or later it will happen.

The run of the mill French peon is not as stupid as the French elite think they are.

[null and void]

Try never. Reimposing them is politically impossible. People will be back in the streets should they re-emerge.

Never say never.

Watch for new measures to make the protests illegal and highly dangerous to engage in.

A power addict must have their fix.

Remember "No new taxes"?

[Alberta's Child]

A lot of these protestors are full of crap. They love taxes — as long as SOMEONE ELSE is paying them.

[DungeonMaster]

Heard yesterday that the protesters were chanting “we want Trump”

Now that would be cool!!!

[Buckeye McFrog]

People power works. Tax increases have been scrapped.

uhhh….no, the article says "TEMPORARILY SUSPENDED".
Their self-appointed betters are huddling as we speak, trying to come up with more effective ways to fool them.

I suspect that will fail and the riots will be back.

[bert]

——The tax hikes are dead.-——

Most importantly, the power has shifted from an unpopular government to mobs across Frnce representing the people.

Going forward, the question is will the government still exist in 6 months?

It can be argued that the EU is inthe balance

[Oshkalaboomboom]

How MUCH were the taxes to make it $7.00 a gallon??

Pretty high. I live in Spain and gas in my town costs about $5.45 a gallon.

[null and void]

The run of the mill French peon is not as stupid as the French elite think they are.

Thank God our Betters respect us! </Richter scale irony>

[VTenigma]

Macron blinked, it’s only a matter of time now.