The fiery Yellow Vest protests that rage on across France have more to do with the “incompetent,” EU-dependent government policy than the rising gas prices, a French political commentator told RT.
While many protesters vent their anger at President Emmanuel Macron, who took an unpopular decision to raise taxes and increase prices on fuel and other commodities, “they don’t realize the problem is much deeper and has to do with the general policy of the European Union.”
“The revolt is not just about the gas prices, it’s a general revolt against the policy of the government,” Jean Bricmont, a French writer and political commentator, told RT. There’s not much that French authorities could do to relieve people’s worries and defuse tensions, he said, as Paris “has to obey the orders from the European Commission.”
On the back of violent rallies, President Emmanuel Macron said he will not back down on his controversial economic policy. “We won't change course. We are certain of that,” government spokesman Benjamin Griveaux has said, hinting that Paris was considering a state of emergency over the protests.
“I think [Macron] doesn’t realize the depth of the crisis … there’s not much he can do about it,” Bricmont speculated. “He’s not a statesman, he’s a banker, he’s been put in that position and thinks that he has solution to everything in his head. I think he’s extremely arrogant, extremely self-centered, extremely detached from reality.”
In the meantime, officials around Macron are “incompetent,” Bricmont added, “I’m really scared for France.”
Dubbed the Yellow Vest movement, the protests have been taking place every week since November 17. The rallies steadily snowballed into major clashes between police and protesters, with the violence reaching levels unseen in France in decades.
On November 24, the Yellow Vest rallies in Paris quickly descended into chaos turning city streets into a ‘warzone’. Numerous cars and trash bins were torched, and windows were smashed.
Police have made hundreds of arrests. More than 130 people were injured, including 23 police officers.
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