President Macron faced with fuel taxation crisis

"We have to think about the measures that can be taken so that these incidents don't happen again,” reported government spokesman Benjamin Griveaux to Europe 1 radio.  

Last Saturday French protests leave more than 400 people arrested while 133 injured, including 23 members of the security forces. This happened after a demonstration took place 2 weeks ago. During this riot French protestant were reminiscing of “mai soixante huit”demostrations, posing the most difficult challenge Emmanule Macron had been faced in his 18-month-old presidency. 

This happened after Macron’s decision to raise the fuel tax, leaving the French population to rage in anger when having to cope with their everyday living costs.

The price of diesel, the most commonly used fuel in French cars, has risen by around 23% over the past 12 months to an average of €1.51 (£1.32; $1.71) per litre, its highest point since the early 2000s. This year Macron raised its hydrocarbon taxation by 7.9 cents per litre on diesel and other 3.9 cents on petrol, all of this happened due to the campaigning of cleaner environment by reducing cars which are more likely to pollute our air. 

Macron stuck to his opinion even when protests vandalised the champs Élysée and the monument of the Arc de Triomphe. Later on he called a meeting with the interior minister and the security forces officles. During this riot, support was shown through a movement called “les gilets jaunts” (yellow vests) as protestants were rooming in the streets wearing the high-visibility vests that each car should have by law. 

Macron’s says that his decision to raise fuel taxation is based on environmental sustainability in order to combat global warming but it is evident that people did not like his decision. Particularity when having people who are constantly relying on their cars to commute to workplaces or family. Protests have risen  instead of calming down, saying this  social media isn’t helping as its spreading viral quickly.

Protestants are blocking roads all-around France and stopping access to shopping malls. Earlier this week, President Macron civilly stated that he was open to ideas about how the fuel tax could be applied in alternative methods.