Macron pressed on by all sides for grand gesture to end crisis

PARIS: Secluded in his Presidential palace, Emmanuel Macron is looking for a miracle. An angry France is waiting to see if he finds one.

Everyone, from Yellow Vest protesters to his dwindling number of supporters, is anticipating some solution to end the downward spiral of Europe’s second largest economy, started last month with a grass-roots movement against fuel tax hikes.

Government spokesman Benjamin Griveaux promised on Sunday his boss would bring “tailor-made solutions’’ to “find the way back to hearts of French people.” First, he’s meeting union leaders and local government heads Monday to discuss his proposals.

“Macron has left things go for so long now that people are waiting for a grand gesture,’’ said Arthur Goldhammer, a researcher affiliated with Harvard University’s Center for European Studies. “He finds himself in an impossible situation where he has to admit his errors, not change the substance of his mandate and offer a whole new sequence of priorities.’’

Goldhammer called Macron’s planned address a “crucial moment of his presidency.’’

The French leader will speak -his office has declined to hint at any substance -- after four consecutive Saturdays of protest and street violence. A newly-formed association of Yellow Vests has called for a fifth Saturday of demonstrations on December 15, but is insisting that it be “peaceful.’’

Before his address, Macron is organising a series of meetings from Monday onwards with labour leaders, political opponents and Parliament chiefs.