The gas gas barely went up....the diesel tax...near 27 cents per gallon, which infuriated private drivers (70-percent of the nation has diesel cars) and the freight delivery folks. The diesel drivers were basically punished in a serious way, and they won’t go along with the deal. Whoever was advising Macron on this....really failed big-time.
If he does nothing and lets this brew through the winter and spring....there’s an EU election in June of next year and it’d be a disaster for French polling if this is allowed to simmer.
European elections are to be held this May, 2019. Polls show that Le Pen's National Rally party will be in the lead, far ahead of the party created by Macron, La République En Marche! [The Republic on the Move!].
I wonder if Mlle. Le Pen still wants the job?