The "yellow vests" movement is back on the streets of France, joining a growing coalition of protest groups. Participants are demanding more investment in public education, higher wages and measures against the rising cost of living.
The new demonstrations are planned after last weekend's protests and riots, which caused widespread damage to government buildings and shops in various parts of the country. French authorities banned demonstrations across France on Saturday, and in Paris they rejected the "yellow vests" plan to march on a busy shopping district with luxury stores.
„Most great revolutions in France start with young people. "Everyone is united," said the 41-year-old blogger of the movement, Hervé Co.
Increased security measures
French authorities are preparing a reinforced police presence. Elite police units will be deployed on the streets, as well as soldiers who usually patrol train stations. Students and trade unions have already expressed support for the "yellow vests," and various groups are also calling for a national strike on November 5.
The protest movement arose in 2018 over President Emmanuel Macron's proposed increase in fuel taxes. It quickly grew into a wider dissatisfaction with the head of state, who has been criticized as a "president of the rich." After the tax hike was repealed and the minimum wage hike was raised, the protests gradually lost momentum.
Pressure on the government
The current situation is developing with more limited possibilities for political concessions. Macron is nearing the end of his presidential term, and his party does not have a majority in parliament. The proposed budget has been criticized by both far-right leader Marine Le Pen and far-left politician Jean-Luc Mélenchon.
“There is an obvious general paralysis. We have a protest movement that, like any social movement, is impatient and wants immediate answers,“ commented political scientist Christian Le Bar from the “Sciences Po“ University in Rennes.
Economic pressure further complicates the situation. France's budget deficit is among the largest in advanced economies, and the yield on 10-year government bonds has exceeded 5 percent for the first time since 2002.
Similar protests over the cost of living are growing in other European countries. In Italy, truck drivers are blocking Naples, and there is discontent over housing prices in Portugal and Spain.
Sources: bgnes.bg, apnews.com