The French nationals have never tolerated injustice of the authorities. The French have a long tradition to express their discontent in the streets. The government’s intention to raise fuel prices sparked off fierce protests nationwide, which caused severe damage to the economy.
Once the government announced a sharp increase in fuel taxes, over 100,000 participants wearing yellow high-visibility jackets came together to manifest their disapproval throughout the country. In Paris, the demonstration turned into violent clashes. The police detained about 130 protesters. The first march was arranged on November 17. More demonstrations followed later which morphed into angry protests against a higher cost of living and tough economic reforms. As of November 30, the domestic economy incurred heavy losses due to the nationwide protests. Unless the government finds a compromise with the population, the economic agenda of President Macron will face a challenge. “All sectors of the economy admit that the movement of the yellow jackets dealt a blow to the national economy,” Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire stated.
According to the government data, the wholesale sector slumped 35% amid the campaign of the yellow jackets. Retail sales contracted 18% just in a single day on November 24. Remarkably, anti-reform riots took place in the inland France and overseas. The protest was held even in Réunion, the remote region in the Indian Ocean.
