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A8 WORLD NEWS
Tuesday 11 december 2018

Macron vows tax cuts, pay rise; will France’s anger subside?

By SYLVIE CORBET of the speech may have
ANGELA CHARLTON been the moment Macron
Associated Press said: “I take my share of re-
PARIS (AP) — French Presi- sponsibility” for the anger
dent Emmanuel Macron gripping France.
tried to reassert control It was an unusual admis-
over a nation wracked by sion for a president whose
increasingly violent pro- leadership has appeared
tests with offers of tax relief marked by a single-mind-
for struggling workers and ed determination to push
pensioners — and an ex- through reforms he prom-
ceptional admission Mon- ised in his 2017 campaign,
day that “I might have hurt regardless of the fallout.
people with my words.” “I might have hurt people
It may not be enough. with my words,” he said.
Even as Macron broke his Indeed, he wounded many
silence on the protests in when he told a jobless
a brief televised address, man he just had to “cross
yellow-vested demonstra- the street” to find work. Or
tors vowed to keep up the when he told retirees with
pressure on a man they see small pensions to stop com-
as arrogant, out-of-touch plaining. Or when he sug-
and “president of the rich.” TV screens show French President Emmanuel during a televised address to the nation, at an gested some French work-
“We are at a historic mo- electrical appliance store in Marseille, southern France, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. ers are “lazy.” However,
ment for our country,” the Associated Press the centrist leader insisted
French leader said from ments beyond its borders. government and parlia- it revived. Monday that the protest-
the presidential Elysee Pal- French protesters spent ment to take immediate Overall, Macron unveiled ers’ “malaise” is as old as
ace. “We will not resume days demanding that Ma- steps to change tax rules no radical changes, and he is — 40 years — and co-
the normal course of our cron speak publicly about and other policies that hit clung to his vision for trans- incides with France’s strug-
lives” after all that has hap- their concerns. After he the wallets of working class forming France. Yet his gles in recent decades to
pened. did, they took to French air- French people. costly promises will make it keep up with globalization.
Speaking with a soft voice waves and social media to He responded to several of even more difficult to boost And he denounced the
and gentle tone, Ma- dissect his promises. the protesters’ demands, growth — already being protest-associated vio-
cron pleaded for a return “It doesn’t solve the prob- promising measures that in- hammered by protests that lence that led to hundreds
to calm after almost four lem,” a protester in a yel- cluded: have damaged holiday re- of injuries, more than 1,000
weeks of protests that start- low vest, Alain Bouche, told -a government-funded tail sales and worried tour- arrests and the ransacking
ed in neglected provinces BFM television from a yel- 100-euro increase in the ists and foreign investors. of stores in some of Paris’
to oppose fuel tax increas- low-vest roadblock south- minimum wage starting at “It’s more of a budgetary richest neighborhoods.
es and progressed to riot- west of Paris. He said fellow the beginning of the new adjustment than a change Authorities will show “no in-
ing in Paris and a plethora demonstrators want a na- year of political course,” said dulgence” to those behind
of broad demands. tional referendum, too. -the abolition of taxes on Benjamin Cauchy, a yellow the vandalism and rioting,
It’s a turning point in Ma- Some protest representa- overtime pay in 2019 vest protest representative. Macron said, adding that
cron’s presidency, and a tives have said more dem- -asking profit-making com- “That doesn’t correspond “no anger justifies” attack-
crucial moment for both onstrations will be held panies to give workers tax- to what the French want.” ing police or looting stores.
France and Europe. Ma- Saturday, following those free year-end bonuses Some protesters just want- Political analyst Dominique
cron rode to the presiden- in Paris that turned violent -slashing a tax hike on small ed one thing: Macron to Moisi said the important
cy last year on promises during the previous two pensions, acknowledging it announce “I quit.” thing in Macron’s speech
of rejuvenating France’s weekends. was “unjust.” He showed no signs of giv- was not only “what he said
stagnant economy and Meanwhile, students op- One thing he didn’t do: ing in. Instead, he defend- but the way he said it.”
salvaging European unity. posing changes in key high restore a special tax on ed his political indepen- Macron sought to establish
His credibility on both fronts school tests are calling for a households with assets dence and described his his authority by declaring
is now deeply damaged, new round of protests Tues- above 1.3 million euros devotion to serving France. he wouldn’t tolerate vio-
just as the EU struggles with day. ($1.5 million) that he had No French presidential or lence, but also “gave the
Britain’s chaotic exit and Macron declared an “eco- slashed last year. Yellow parliamentary elections impression that he under-
as France’s protests have nomic and social state of vest protesters decry the are scheduled until 2022. stood what is happening,”
prompted copycat move- emergency,” ordering the end of the tax and wanted The most remarkable part Moisi said.q