Is anyone on this site living in Paris? Aare the demonstrations really about gas tax or is it deeper than that?
It's a good question and it is much deeper than that but really made people go on the streets is the announcement from the government that the diesel price is going to rise .... And that set the fire. To explan this rise they serve us that diesel pollute even more than fuel. (I remind you they told us the exact opposite for decades). That means we all have to change cars in short period of time....how do you do that when some of the protestants earn 900 euros per month? Plus the electricity and gaz going up, saleries not that much, and the impression to be taken for lemons they want to press till the last drop ...
Also no one from the government took seriously the first mouvement à month ago, they just thought it won't last, they get tired..... Wrong .... It got bigger, organised with social media, and more reason to stand for (retirement, minimum salary for all, homeless, single mam).
I forgot, this is a pacific, citizen movement. Absolutely no politics are involved. The violence you see in the news are just assholes taking advantage of the situation....
That happens a lot here as well. People start out with good intentions to make their voices heard and express their frustration. They someone's decides to start a fire or loot a store. And once that happens the message gets lost to some. But I for one am always glad to see people stand up against what they see as wrongs by their government. And the work vests are a brilliant move . But I have a question about Macron. I though he was popular there . Or was it a case of he was until this happened?
Might be slightly OT, but having seen the following on another website which I follow I thought it might be worthy of inclusion: France is the heaviest taxed country on the planet,according to the OECD. I thought that the UK had it bad, until seeing this! No wonder the French are saying 'Non! Non! Non!'
He was popular during the elections ... We tried right wing with Sarkozy, left with Hollande and now the center with macron ... The thing we dislike the most here is his arrogance. He is talking to the people with alot of distance and with fantasy words that many don't even understand. Many of his government are brand new to politics and just don't have the shoulders, don't know what is like not to be able to fill up your fridge....
Fuck no... cost of living is getting out of control. Renting somewhere decent is out of most people's pay range but we have at least 5 retired prime minister's on a huge pension for life.... its insane And thats not to mention china buying up our land at way cheaper rates.... government assistant of course....