French motorists block roads to protest fuel costBy The Manila Timeshome/News/World/French motorists block roads to protest fuel costPARIS: French drivers seething over high fuel prices have vowed to snarl traffic across the country Saturday in a widely supported protest that could prove the trickiest so far for President Emmanuel Macron. The “yellow vests” movement, named for the high-visibility jackets worn by supporters, erupted on social media last month with calls for mass blockades of roads and highways. “Even 54 percent of people who voted for Macron support this movement,” said Vincent Thibault, Elabe’s senior research director. The movement’s leaders have refused any alignment with political parties or labor unions, echoing similar tax revolts which dot French history back through the centuries. Around 1,500 protests are expected across France, aiming to thwart access to city centers, create gridlock on major roads and highways, and block access to airports.

Source: Manila Times November 17, 2018 17:15 UTC