French President Emmanuel Macron launched a national debate to soothe ongoing 'yellow vest' protests. The initiative is intended to address a long list of grievances among the so-called "yellow vests".
In a 2,330-word open letter, Macron encouraged French citizens to take part in the debate. "For me, there is no banned issue," Macron added.
"We won't agree on everything, which is normal in a democracy. But at least we'll show we're a people which is not afraid of talking, exchanging, debating," he wrote.
Macron launched a three-month nationwide debate on Jan.14, after tens of thousands of anti-government protesters clashed with police across the country for the ninth consecutive weekend.
Protesters wearing yellow vests attend a demonstration of the "yellow vests" movement in Angers, France, January 19, 2019. REUTERS/Stephane Mahe
However, around 7,000 "yellow vest" demonstrators marched through Paris and 27,000 across France in a 10th consecutive weekend of protests against Macron's government.
"When taxes are too high, our economy is starved of the resources that could be usefully invested in companies, creating jobs and growth," Macron said.
Macron calls for national debate
He said he would offer his own conclusions from the three-month debate on March 15 but did not offer any clues on whether there would be a possible referendum on his policies — an option reportedly suggested by some in his administration.
Macron once said he wanted to be a "Jupiterian" leader, unchallenged and detached from trivialities, like the Roman god of the skies. His model is Charles de Gaulle, who established the semi-monarchical presidency of the Fifth Republic in 1958 to enable him to rule above party pisions in a way that would bring the French together behind his leadership.
Moreover, the French president is accused of being a "president of the rich."
The outspoken 42-year-old leader had previously made comments perceived by many French as arrogant, including when he told a jobless man that he just had to "cross the street" to find work or when he suggested some French workers are "lazy."
The last three presidents of France — Jacques Chirac, Nicolas Sarkozy and François Hollande — can testify ruefully to the power of the street. Huge demonstrations forced each of them to drop announced major reforms.
Now Macron has joined them. And unlike his predecessors, he has far fewer political clothes to protect him from the cold winds of revolt.
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