Macron to meet unions, address nation seeking to end ‘yellow vest’ crisisBy The Manila TimesPARIS: President Emmanuel Macron will address the nation on the “yellow vest” crisis Monday and meet trade unionists and business leaders in search of a way to end the protests that have rocked France. Government officials have said the 40-year-old centrist would announce “immediate and concrete measures” to respond to protesters’ grievances. The “yellow vests”, clad in the luminous safety jackets carried by law in all French cars, began staging nationwide roadblocks on November 17 in protest against tax hikes raising the price of fuel. Their demonstrations have since snowballed into a mass movement against ex-banker Macron, whom protesters accuse of being out of touch with ordinary people in provincial France. Elected in May 2017 on a promise to revitalise the sluggish French economy, Macron had previously vowed not to be swayed by mass protests like his predecessors.

Source: Manila Times December 10, 2018 03:00 UTC