President βpresent Minister of Economy and Industry β Renaissance. After an online petition posted in May had attracted nearly one million signatures, mass demonstrations began on 17 November. The movement argued that a disproportionate burden of taxation in France was falling on the working and middle classes, [ 67 ] [ 68 ] [ 69 ] especially in rural and peri-urban areas. On 29 November , a list of 42 demands was made public and went viral on social media, becoming a de facto structuring basis for the movement.
The demands covered a wide range of topics, mostly related to democracy, and social and fiscal justice. Participation in the weekly protests diminished due to violence, particularly due to the loss of eyes, hands, and neurological disorders caused by police blast balls. The movement was supported primarily by populists on both sides of the political spectrum, but rarely by moderates. According to one poll, few of those protesting had voted for Macron in the presidential election ; many had shown political alienation by not voting, or had voted for far-right or far-left candidates.
Protesters in many places around the world have used the yellow vest as a symbol. The issue on which the French movement centered at first was the projected increase in fuel taxes, particularly on diesel fuel.
In the s, diesel engines were used only in heavy equipment so, to help sell off the surpluses in French refineries, the state created a favorable tax regime to encourage motorists and manufacturers to use diesel. The French manufacturer Peugeot has been at the forefront of diesel technology, and from the s, the French government favored this technology.
A reduction in VAT taxes for corporate fleets also increased the prevalence of diesel cars in France. Prices of petrol and diesel fuel increased by 15 per cent and 23 per cent respectively between October and October Costs of distribution increased by 40 per cent. VAT included, diesel taxes increased by 14 per cent over one year and petrol taxes by 7. The protest movement against fuel prices mainly concerns individuals, as a number of professions and activities benefit from partial or total exemptions from TICPE.
