– the Violence must now hear the up, says the French prime minister, in a statement on national television.
the prime minister of France, Edouard Philippe, announces in a televised speech that he is suspending the planned increases of taxes on electricity, gasoline and diesel for cars. It will apply in six months.
the Proposed increases are put on hold after several weeks of violent protests in Paris and many other places in the country. The protests were initially directed against energy taxes.
But they are addressed more and more in general against the rising cost of living and became a symbol of widespread dissatisfaction with president Emmanuel Macrons economic reforms.
No charges are so significant that they must be allowed to divide a nation, says the French prime minister.
– the Violence must now hear the up, he adds in a statement on national television.
Three people have been killed since the unrest and riots and vandalism broke out.
the Macron was Sunday morning at the arc de Triomphe to see for myself the damage that had been done at the monument during the civil unrest on Saturday.
Police in Paris announced on Sunday that 263 were injured, and 412 are arrested in connection with Saturday’s unrest in the capital.
The predicted increases would have come into force on 1. January.
in addition to postponing the government will also introduce measures to improve the living standards of low-income families.
Macron has said that afgiftsforhøjelserne is completely necessary in order to bring the pollution down and meet set climate goals.
the Protesters are demanding not only less taxes on energy. They are also demanding higher minimum wage and wealth tax for high income earners.
the Business organisations have warned that the unrest could damage the christmas shopping season.
Finance minister Bruno Le Maire stated on Monday that hotelreservationerne has fallen between 15 and 20 percent since the protests began.
mass Protests have repeatedly forced the French presidents to give up their political reform programmes, but Macron have until now been fixed.
From the sidelines has Marine Le Pen cheered on the demonstrators. She has asked Philippe to “finish konfrontationskursen”, Macron has been going for the past three weeks.
/ritzau/AFP