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Emmanuel Macron predicts ‘major violence’ across France this weekend as approval rating crashes to record low of 18%

posted 6 years ago by Rorikon (17874)
20 replies | jump to latest

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/7915541/emmanuel-macron-predicts-violence-france-weekend-approval-rating/
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-12-06/macron-s-popularity-sinks-as-paris-prepares-for-more-violence
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvTbOw_XQuY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCwWpENkIwA

Macron’s approval rating slipped 4% points in a month to 23%, other polls say below 20%, as low as 18%. His approval rating is now lower than socialist predecessor Francois Hollande.

Macron enacted a slew of new carbon taxes in January designed to wean consumers off fossil fuels and transfer France’s entire economy to electric cars. The price hikes triggered a wave of protest from demonstrators calling themselves the yellow vest movement. The government has since suspended the tax.

French riot police closed popular tourist areas Saturday and fired tear gas as they tried to quell the chaos in the streets. At least 110 people were injured while protesters associated with the grassroots-driven demonstrations clashed with authorities and vandalized the Arc de Triomphe.

French government is going to extremes to prevent future protests this weekend. More than a dozen armored vehicles are expected to patrol Paris – which hasn’t happened in the capital city since World War II. There concerns are likely warranted, as the yellow vest movement is picking up steam.

Nearly 73 percent of the French approve the demonstrations, according to an Elabe poll conducted during the protests. Support is still divided between Macron’s urban supporters and small-town people who rely on cars.

Hell, even Trump has a higher approval rating than that. Looks like they're getting tired of globalism over there if not the mass migration while the government puts off the poor or forgotten folk.

[–] [deleted] 6 years ago

Are the Germans invading again ??

[–] Rorikon (17874) 6 years ago

Hah, one would think.

Philippe said France will deploy 65,000 police across the country as part of his exceptional measure to deal with any protests. “We will fight against hatred and violence,” he said.

Sounds like they would rather silence them.

[–] Thrillhouse (1509) 6 years ago

Macron just needs to educate them about Global Warming.

[–] Satan2016 (25525) 6 years ago

If it were just against carbon taxes, there would be GreenTard counter protesters. It's more of an protest against high taxes and cost of living.

The yellow vest movement are not the violent one. That happened when the far-right or far-left (Antifa) infiltrated. Anyone know which one, I don't trust the MSM?

[–] Keelai (34864) 6 years ago

Several groups:

Left-Wing Extremists:
Black Blocs
Antifacists
Group protesting the murder of Adama Traoré

Right-Wing Extremists:
Monarchists group: Action Francaise
French Nationalist Party
Ouest Casual
Zouaves Paris
Groupe Union Défense
Skinheads and racists

[–] Rorikon (17874) 6 years ago

Poverty rose by 10% since 2006 and a French friend of mine was telling me they raised high taxes on gas, electricity, and a few other things. They also raised pay for ministers who already get paid 5k euros a month. These ministers don't know the minimum wage in France.

They only temporarily suspended the high taxes for 6 months as well so it seems they still plan on going through with the price hikes and why these folks are out in the streets protesting and rioting. Funny, import poor refugee/migrants, raise cost of living and you get a recipe for disaster to follow through.

[–] Keelai (34864) 6 years ago

Thugs who only want to loot have blended with the Yellow Vests. They're the ones breaking into stores to steal. Many don't have cars and are not wearing yellow vests.

The other violent group are extremists who want to overthrow the government and cause chaos. They're being identified because of past arrest records.

Ministers make more than 5K euros each month. But, economic policy is mainly Macron.

[–] Satan2016 (25525) 6 years ago

Minimum wage in France/Germany is €1500 = $1700 per month. More that $10/hr. Welfare is probably over $1000.

€5000 is €60000 a year ($70,000). Can't get good people for that. US senator is $174,000!

[–] Keelai (34864) 6 years ago

The tax hikes were actually started by former President Hollande. Macron is continuing to implement the policy.

It's not about globalism. Most French consider Macron to be for the rich and against the middle and working classes especially when he gave the rich a tax break. Sound familiar? His nickname for almost two years has been "The president of the rich". He also raised taxes for electricity, VAT and lowered student housing subsidy and retirees pensions.

Another problem is his haughty attitude which has received widespread criticism when he admonished a student for calling him Manu and an unemployed worker who he said should change careers because a job could easily be found.

Many of the economic problems stem from France's policies which Macron has been trying to change. For instance, it's almost impossible for an employer to layoff workers even when the business is in trouble. This dissuades employers from hiring permanent workers.

As for the protests, there are right-wing and left wing extremists groups who are mixing in with the Yelllow Vests. The majority of French including the Yellow Vests are against the violence. Various political party leaders, unions and Yellow Vests have called for nonviolent protests.

BTW, protests in France are very normal. Almost daily. The violence is what's unusual.

[–] Thrillhouse (1509) 6 years ago

Trump supporters wanted Marine Le Penn. You wanted Macron. You told us Marine Le Penn was racist.

[–] Keelai (34864) 6 years ago

Marine Le Pen and her father are notoriously racist. And Marine is unbelievably stupid. During the debate with Macron, she would answer questions in a way that proved she was completely clueless and would wreck the country if she became president. Macron would repeatedly reply in a condescending way, "You are so stupid." The French rejected her because of her obvious stupidity.

I still like Macron. Some of his ideas and policies have helped the economy. The problem is that he's making systematic changes which the French are resisting. If he's going to raise taxes, then he should follow Reagan's example. Reagan taxed cigarettes and alcohol so people wouldn't complain about the "sin tax". Macron should do the same and leave the diesel alone. Problem solved!

[–] Satan2016 (25525) 6 years ago

Carbon taxes are sin taxes. How else can Macron stop the climate Apocalypse?

I really doubt he lowered taxes on the rich. Businesses are not the rich.

[–] Keelai (34864) 6 years ago

You don't know the meaning of sin tax.

"Macron slashes France’s wealth tax in pro-business budget"
https://www.ft.com/content/3d907582-b893-11e7-9bfb-4a9c83ffa852

"Macron has also cut taxes on companies and capital in a move to boost investment, innovation and risk-taking. Right on cue, new business creations promptly soared, and they show no signs of slowing despite the weaker economic outlook. A record 59,700 new businesses were set up in September, according to the INSEE official statistics agency... While companies and the wealthy got a tax cut, many voters feel left out, especially as they suffered social security and petrol tax hikes at the start of the year. An inflation surge further squeezed their finances."
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-france-economy/beyond-the-setbacks-macrons-reform-push-begins-to-pay-off-idUSKCN1MT1WO

[–] Satan2016 (25525) 6 years ago

You don't know that Green is a religion. We must pay for our Carbon sins and killer Plastic waste!

That doesn't say what "wealthy got a tax cut" actually means. Probably was too high, should be that same rate as Macron.

[–] Keelai (34864) 6 years ago

On Saturday, the “March for the Climate” took place in Paris and other French cities alongside the Yellow Vests protests. The Green Vests and Yellow Vests marched together. It coincides with the United Nations’ COP24 climate conference in Poland.
https://www.france24.com/en/20181208-france-environment-green-vests-paris-climate-marche-yellow-comrades-cop24

Generally, the French don't like the rich. Hollande wanted to tax them 75%, but it was rejected by the courts. Melenchon wants a 100% tax on income over $425k. 12,000 rich people left France each year because of high taxes along with entrepreneurs. Macron has been trying to get them to return. That may be working because rich British are moving to France to escape their high taxes and Brexit.

"Last year, he (Macron) scrapped its contentious wealth tax on everything except property assets - in effect cutting the tax by 70 per cent. The number of people paying it has dropped from 360,000 to 120,000 this year.

In January, he introduced a 30 per cent flat tax rate on capital gains, dividends and interests - a longstanding demand from investors and entrepreneurs - and removed the top marginal band of payroll tax.

“There is renewed interest in Paris. In the past, I did a lot of tax expatriation out of France but since Macron’s arrival, for the first time in 15 years, I am organising returns here,” she said."
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/09/06/paris-overtakes-london-super-rich-league-macron-effect-lures/

[–] Satan2016 (25525) 6 years ago

Are you saying eliminating "tax the rich bastards" is unreasonable? That sounds like Communism!

You should always have the same tax rate above $100K. That way politicians don't tax themselves into poverty!

[–] Keelai (34864) 6 years ago

"You should always have the same tax rate above $100K."

You want an upper middle class person who only makes $100,000 to pay the same tax rate as a super wealthy person making $50 million? That's a regressive tax and punishes the middle-class. Besides, the rich have tax breaks that lower their overall taxes that aren't available to the middle-class.

"Are you saying eliminating "tax the rich bastards" is unreasonable?"
I couldn't figure out this sentence. It sounds like you're anti-rich people?

Melenchon literally wants nobody in France to make more than $425,000. Don't you think every corporate business owner and rich person would leave France?

[–] Rorikon (17874) 6 years ago

Macron sounds like a liberal Trump the way you describe it. Socialist ideals but loves the rich. D:
I still think it's a part of globalism since he wants to as you say 'continue' where Hollande left off with taxes who himself is a socialist along with getting people away from gas and into electric driven cars. Even implementing carbon taxes as well.

I remember that 'Manu' incident as well https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=102vFxWl-Ls.

Didn't know about that, will have to ask my friend living in France about this.

Like with any protests, there will always be instigators mixed in. I find it hard to believe though they're against violence if they allow those instigators to continue if they're the majority. I think many feel the same and tired of the as you mentioned above, the enacted policies of the past and current government.

That doesn't sound healthy for a nation to have 'almost daily' protests.

[–] Keelai (34864) 6 years ago

A French president has much more power than an American one. If Trump wants to implement an unpopular policy, he can be stopped by lawsuits, governors and state attorney generals, Congress, the Senate, public backlash.

Opposition tends to be limited in France to public protests. It's an oversimplification, but I think that's why they protest so much. And French law and policy are uniform - no state or local differences like the U.S.

Both Republican Sarkozy and socialist Hollande couldn't change much policy because of French opposition.

Macron is definitely not socialist. He's a centrist. His new party, En Marche's slogan was "ni droite, ni gauche" literally "neither left nor right". He reminds me of Governor Schwarzenegger. Conservative fiscally, pro-business and socially liberal.

His character flaw is that he doesn't listen enough to others. His ministers were resigning en masse and the public are frustrated with his lack of empathy for them.

I was told that past government policy was to promote people buying diesel cars which they did. Now Macron is punishing them for using diesel cars and even suggested buying new cars or using mass transit. This is after two years of lower taxes for the rich and higher taxes for the middle class.

Most of the protests outside of Paris are peaceful and even picnic-like on the roadsides.

Middle-income people feel squeezed throughout Europe and the U.S. I can see something similar happening in the states especially when Trump supporters realize that their lives haven't improved in 2020 especially if there's a recession which looks likely.

I think a Yellow Vest Party presidential candidate could emerge from this.

[–] Kino (441) 6 years ago

Do you think Marcon likes to call his wife "mommy" in bed?