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Protestors for 54th week of Yellow vest protests, gathered at Estienne-d’Orves Square and marched towards Felix Eboue square.

In addition to Paris, protests were held in various other cities of the country.

Police banned protests in Champs-Elysees, around Notre-Dame Cathedral that was significantly damaged following a fire in April, National Assembly and Elysee Palace.

Protests started Nov. 17, 2018, in reaction to rising fuel costs and economic injustice, but later spiraled into deadly anti-government riots.

Protesters decided to use yellow vests, part of the standard safety kit in French cars, to make their members more easily visible.

Demonstrations left 11 people dead and more than 4,000 injured since the start of protests, including protesters and the police, according to the French government.

Activists claim 24 protesters lost an eye and five lost a hand.

At least 8,400 people have been arrested since the beginning of Yellow Vest protests, and 2,000 remanded into custody.

A total of 17 protestors were arrested in Toulouse and five people, including two police and three civilians, were injured.

France has lost 2.5 billion euros ($2.75 billion) over the yellow vest protests, which started exactly a year ago, citing the government, French RTL radio station reported on Friday.

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IRAN NEWS POLITICAL DESK

In such a condition, the most important measure of French intellectual current comes to the rescue of the government and they conduct polls in pro-government or opposition media and social media to know what is going in the streets of France.

In this relation, French daily Le Figaro which is considered a leading daily for guiding the country wrote an article based on a poll which was conducted based on President Emmanuel Macron’s remarks on finding solutions to put an end to the protests and disputes.

The daily wrote: “President Macron’s measures regarding the protests were not convincing.” In this poll, majority of participants believed that Macron’s proposals do not meet their expectations. Participants in the poll answered the questions based on recent developments in the country. 80 percent of the participants in the poll believed that those proposals are not able to end the “Yellow Vests” movement in France.

Alexis Brezet in his editorial in Le Figaro pointed to some proposals of Macron in his press conference and wrote: “French President Macron was successful in terms of forms of proposals or opinions but there were contradictions in the content of his proposals.”

Leftist French newspaper “Liberation” also wrote: “Except some considerable proposals about retirement, creating comparative system in election and government, Macron’s speech and his other proposals cannot be considered as a twist in his policy after three months of national dialogues which he claimed.”

Director of Liberation Laurent Joffrin in an article wrote: “Nothing will be the same as before, Mr President said. No. The course is maintained, the initial objective reaffirmed: a liberalization of society and the economy, accompanied by useful social measures, but immediately counterbalanced by this desire to work more French, reduce public spending, maintain the removal of the ISF or to restore the borders. The centrist posture, neither right nor left, adopted during the presidential campaign,  is once again challenged.”

With such a double-standard in the content of Macron’s proposals, it seems that French President’s intention in such an ambiguous climate has been revealed to the people. Hence, such a step, in setting a vague solution, pushes opposition movement against capitalist totalitarianism to bolster its protests for an indefinite time, and as days pass, the number of people joining the opposition movement is rising.

Economic analysts and experts in the world believe that the era of capitalism has lasted and they introduce socialism as a replacement for saving production and economic hegemony. But this prescription has also been tested and collapsed years ago and its structure for making national economies dynamic has gone aground, and today the world and even France, which to some extent pays credit to social democracy, also seem to be hapless for finding solution by passing the time.

Political analysts also believe that if Elysee Palace fails to find a proper solution for resolving Yellow Vests saga in the next three months, the only option will be nothing but the government to hand in and to hold snap election.

By: Hamid Reza Naghashian

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He also promised to pay attention to the protesters’ demands. Macron’s reforming measures include:

• A government-funded 100-euro increase in the minimum wage starting at the beginning of the new year

• The abolition of taxes on overtime pay in 2019

• Asking profit-making companies to give workers tax-free year-end bonuses

• Slashing a tax hike on small pensions, acknowledging it was “unjust.”

In a 15-minute speech from the Elysee Palace which was covered by the media, Macron told the French people that he accepted his share of responsibility for the crisis. The French young President struck a rather humble in his remarks, which wasn’t usual for him.

The “Gilets jaunes” protests, which have seen the worst riots in France for decades, began on 17 November over the government’s plan to raise taxes on diesel and gasoline, but by the time Macron bowed to four weeks of violence and abandoned the new fuel tax, protesters were demanding much more.

It’s to be noted that according to polls results, Emmanuel Macron’s popularity has hit new lows. The French President has been called the “president of the rich” by critics. Many of French workers and low-income citizens are severely discontent over the combination of low wages, high taxes and high unemployment that made lots of financial troubles in their lives.

In his televised remarks, Macron said; “We will respond to the economic and social urgency with strong measures, by cutting taxes more rapidly, by keeping our spending under control, but not with U-turns”.

After Macron’s concession, Jacline Mouraud, one of the spokespeople for the yellow vest movement, said that it “comes much too late, unfortunately”.

“It’s on the right path, but in my opinion, it will not fundamentally change the movement,” she said.

The fact is that France is stuck in long-standing social and political problems. Unemployment rate is high, and Macron’s policies couldn’t satisfy the French about solving this critical problem. Sheri Berman, the professor of political science at Barnard College, points out to this issue, says; “Macron came to power promising to deal with these and other problems, but the reforms thus far led many to dismiss him as another member of an out-of-touch elite.

His aloof personal style — and several well-publicized disparaging remarks to those less well-off, including that they should “stop whining” and simply “cross the street to find a job” — lead growing numbers of citizens to view him the “president of the rich.” As the protests swelled, the yellow vests’ anger became increasingly aimed at Macron and, more generally, at an establishment that seems unwilling or unable to address their needs.”

She continues; “Macron faces the most serious crisis of his presidency, with popularity numbers at a new low — matching the worst figures achieved by his predecessor, François Hollande. The yellow vests, on the other hand, have approval ratings of over 80 percent.”

The Yellow Vests movement highlights tensions and weaknesses which are remarkable in into Macron’s approach. Macron should admit that in a country suffering economically, his so-called reforming goals will naturally run into opposition. One of the protesters pointed to this issue and said; “We are talking about cost of living and Macron is talking ecology. … [Macron’s] solution for people who can’t afford food by the end of the month is to buy solar panels and electric cars.”

While Macron had previously noted that he wouldn’t be swayed by street protests, in an initial attempt to quell the riots, he agreed last week to cancel a planned increase in anti-pollution fuel taxes. But this measure was considered as too little, too late by the protesters who are trying to press for further concessions on reducing inequality.

Almost 136,000 people took to the streets last weekend – the same number as a week earlier. Over 4,500 people have been detained across France, police said. Protesters torched cars and stormed the Arc de Triumph, one of the most recognizable Paris landmarks, smashing the lower floors before ascending to the roof.

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“Nonsense,” “a charade”, “a bluff” and “a drop in the ocean,” were among the immediate reactions that greeted the head of state’s televised speech Monday evening announcing an increase in the minimum wage and a range of other financial measures.

At a roundabout in the southern town of Le Boulou, some 150 “yellow vests” gathered around a loudspeaker listened carefully to the president’s words before starting to shout in chorus.

“He is trying to do a pirouette to land back on his feet but we can see that he isn’t sincere, that it’s all smoke and mirrors,” said Jean-Marc, a car mechanic.

“It’s just window dressing, for the media, some trivial measures, it almost seems like a provocation,” said Thierry, 55, a bicycle mechanic who donned the yellow vest a fortnight ago.

“All this is cinema, it doesn’t tackle the problems of substance,” he told AFP before taking part in blocking the Boulou turnpike on the French-Spanish border.

“We’re really wound up, we’re going back to battle,” he said.

Less than an hour after the presidential address, the A9 toll booth from Spain was completely paralyzed, an AFP photographer said.

“Maybe if Macron had made this speech three weeks ago, it would have calmed the movement, but now it’s too late,” said Gaetan, 34, one of the “Rennes Lapins Jaunes” (Yellow Rabbits of Rennes). “For us, this speech is nonsense.”

In the northwest, at a roundabout at the end of the A28 in Montabon, near Le Mans, “yellow vests” gathered under a heated tent to watch the president on TV, sharing a picnic.

“Too bad, blew it again!” exclaimed Etienne. “Santa Claus has nothing in his sack,” laughed Hubert.

Over in eastern France, at the Cafe de la Paix in Commercy, about 15 “yellow vests” watched Macron’s speech with a glass of Picon and a basket of fries, interrupting the presidential address with ironic sneers.

“Sir feels bad,” Elisabeth, a 66-year-old retiree, said mockingly as the president acknowledged that he had “hurt some”.

“It was about time,” added Damien, in his thirties. “Liar,” a woman shouted.

“He is being held hostage so he drops some crumbs,” said Jonathan, a 35-year-old official.

In the southern commune of Realmont, “gilets jaunes” from all four corners of the department of Tarn gathered at the roundabout to heave a sigh and release nervous laughter.

“The people asked him to resign and he puts plasters on third-degree burns (…) this is total rubbish,” said Pierrot, an RSA artist in Albi.

For Luc, a pizza chef in Marseille, “it’s a charade. He announces bonuses to be paid by employers but how will they do it? They don’t have more money.”

Some “yellow vests” however saw “an awareness” of their problems in the presidential speech.

“The increase of 100 euros, it’s really not bad,” said Erwan, a spokesman in Rennes.

Commenting on the extra measures announced for retirees who earn less than 2,000 euros, he said it would “give them a little more”, adding “the end of year bonus too, it’s very good.”

“He even talked about the big companies that don’t pay their taxes in France, we hope that he will move on that too”.

“There are some good ideas, it’s a mea culpa which arrives too late but we will not spit on it,” said Claude Rambour, a “yellow vest” member of the “Gauls of Calais”.

But “he should have gone further,” said the 42-year-old who fears that the speech wants to “divide the yellow vests”.

“We will take the time to think, to interpret, to talk about it between us,” said Laure, a jobless mother of Gironde, who was however “not convinced”.

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