The French government plans to increase the green tax on diesel from January 1, sparking a backlash from the public. Since November 17, some people have held protests in Paris and other provinces for four consecutive weekends. In fact, the price of diesel and gasoline in France has risen in varying degrees since 2018, and the public has been unhappy.
French prime minister Philip Philip announced on December 4 that the French government would extend the green tax by six months. France's environment chief, dulrich, told the press on Friday that he had been on the phone with macron and confirmed the government's decision to cancel the next year's tax increase.
But the French government's concession has not calmed the discontent. Macron and Philip's polls fell to 18%and 21%, the lowest since they took office, according to a new poll by the UK's surveys . France's far-right, far-left and other political forces have also attacked the government of the Macron, and some of the parties have decided on October 10 to submit a no-confidence bill to the French national assembly to seek to impeach the government.
Macron has a strong grip on the internal cabinet and Kadima party of the French republic, which is still stable in the majority of the national assembly, has little chance of passing the government's mistrust.
For more than a year, macron has pushed for a series of reforms that have largely cut public welfare levels, as well as the "big tax, asset taxes," and encouraging the French to look from "divide the cake" to "make cake". These reforms, despite the long term, will inevitably touch the interests of some classes in the short term, leading to increased dissatisfaction.
The lack of access to people in the reform process is one of the important reasons for the protests. It is reported that wages in France have not risen much in the past 5 years, while the tax burden of low-income groups has always been heavy, and they have not felt they were beneficiaries of reform. In a public speech, Philip also admitted that France is one of the highest tax levels in Europe, and that the French tax system is "complex horribly."
Analysts say the rally, or the reforms that led to Mr Macron's push, entered the "stall" orbit. Mr Macron's pressure to slow the pace of reform will lead to a negative demonstration effect. In addition, violent unrest has severely cracked down on his authority, which will be harder to promote reform in the future.
On the other hand, the gap will be a big problem for the French government after the plan to raise the fuel tax next year. If this is not to be done, it will lead to a increase in France's fiscal deficit next year, which in turn affects the credibility of the continent's EU, which has frustrated his ambitions to "reshape" the EU.
法国政府计划从明年1月1日起上调燃油税，引发民众强烈不满。11月17日以来，一些民众连续四个周末在巴黎及其他外省地区举行抗议活动。实际上，2018年以来法国柴油和汽油价格均出现不同程度的上涨，民众已经颇为不满。
法国总理菲利普12月4日宣布，法国政府将延期六个月上调燃油税。法国环境部长德吕吉5日则对媒体表示，他已与马克龙通电话，确认政府决定取消明年上调燃油税的计划。
但法国政府这一让步并未平息民众的不满情绪。英国舆观调查公司最新民调显示，马克龙和菲利普的民意支持率分别跌至18%和21%，为两人就任以来最低。法国极右、极左等政治势力也借机抨击马克龙政府，部分政党更是决定于10日联合向法国国民议会提交对政府的不信任议案，以寻求弹劾政府。
马克龙目前对内阁掌控力较强，其所在的共和国前进党在法国国民议会的多数席位依然稳固，对政府的不信任议案通过的几率不大。
马克龙执政一年多来，推进了一系列整体上削减民众福利水平的改革举措，同时还取消“巨富税”、资产税等，鼓励法国人将目光从“分蛋糕”转向“做蛋糕”。这些改革措施尽管利在长远，但短期内势必触动一些阶层的利益，导致民众不满增加。
改革进程中民众缺乏获得感是此次示威运动席卷法国的重要原因之一。据报道，近5年来，法国工资水平上涨不多，而中低收入群体的税收负担却始终十分沉重，他们没有感到自己是改革的受益者。菲利普日前在公开讲话中也坦承，目前法国是欧洲范围内税收水平最高的国家之一，法国的税收体系“复杂得可怕”。
分析人士指出，此轮示威活动或导致马克龙锐意推进的改革进入“失速”轨道。马克龙此次迫于压力放缓改革步伐，将造成负面示范效应。此外，暴力骚乱严重打击他的执政威信，以后将更难凝聚人心推进改革。
另一方面，马克龙取消明年上调燃油税的计划后，弥补财政收入缺口将成为法国政府面临的一大难题。如果这一问题解决不当，将导致法国明年财政赤字增加，进而影响到马克龙在欧盟范围内的威信，令他“重塑”欧盟的雄心受挫。
