Macron govt hopes ‘yellow vest’ protests running out of steam

PARIS: The French government was on Sunday hoping the sharp drop in ‘ yel low vest’ demonstrators signalled an end to the biggest crisis of Emmanuel Macron’s presidency, but conceded ‘mistakes’ had been made.

Around 66,000 people turned out again on Saturday across France for a fifth round of protests which sprung up over fuel tax hikes last month before snowballing into broader opposition to Macron — half the number of the previous weekend.

In an interview with Les Echos newspaper published online Sunday evening, Prime Minister Edouard Phi l ippe said the government had ‘made mistakes’ and “not listened enough to the French people”.

He added that there would be a debate on the holding of referendums to help decide government policy — one of the protesters’ key demands — saying they could be a “good tool of democracy”.

“One stage is behind us, certainly,” added Education Minister Michel Blanquer. “And I think that that is in everybody’s interest, including the yellow vests.”

Although the drop in protesters suggested the momentum of the “yellow vest” movement was waning, sociologist Herve Le Bras from the School of Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences (EHESS) warned they would leave a bitter legacy.

“It is calming down but what remains of it all is a strong feeling of hatred towards Macron,” he said. — AFP