Macron goes back on rising fuel tax to appease protestors

This past Tuesday, the French government agreed to go back on their plans to hike up fuel taxes in efforts to calm the heated protesting citizens of France. Prime Minister Edouard Philippe announced rollbacks on fuel taxes and electricity price increases in televised address.

The streets of Paris were vandalized over the weekend, due to the planned tax hikes for January 1st.

Now the hikes will be suspended for six months, and hikes in electricity and gas prices will be frozen during the winter.

There has been an increase in tension between citizens and the French government after protests degenerated into a violent and chaotic protest in central Paris, the worst that has been seen in Paris in decades.

Leading up to the protest, Macron held his ground on the fuel taxes, which according to the French government are to finance anti-pollution policies. Critics say unfairly weigh s on drivers in rural and small-town France.

The January increase that has been canceled, the raises on fuel taxes were 3 euro cents for unleaded and six cents for diesel. Protestors were demanding for a higher minimum wage and the return of a wealth tax on high earners-- a policy that Macron has recently abolished.