France ‘Yellow Vest’ Protest Continues As Macron Search For Solutions

France ‘Yellow Vest’ Protest Continues As Macron Search For Solutions

“Yellow vests” (gilets jaunes) protesters block the access to the ‘Carrefour Supply Chain’, the regional logistics centre of the Carrefour group and the warehouse of five road hauliers, on December 10, 2018, in Allonnes near Le Mans, northwestern France. JEAN-FRANCOIS MONIER / AFP

Protests in France, involving an estimated 136,000 people nationwide, continued on Monday.

This is despite the arrest and detention of over 4,500 people by the police.

In a bid to defuse the protests which have roiled the country, embattled French President Emmanuel Macron announced a series of strong financial measures Monday.

In a 15-minute televised speech from the Elysee Palace, a sombre-looking president struck a more humble tone than usual as he sought to address criticism of his style of leadership.

“I know that I have hurt some of you with my statements,” he said.

He stressed, however, that the protests by mostly low-income people in small town or rural France were the result of long-term problems.

“Their distress doesn’t date from yesterday. We have ended up getting used to it,” he said.

“These are forty years of malaise that have come to the surface.”

Among the measures Macron announced to address the crisis was a 100 euro ($113 dollar) monthly increase in the minimum wage as of next year, for which businesses would not have to foot the bill.

The minimum wage was set at 1,498 euros per month pre-tax in 2018 and 1,185 euros after tax.

See photos of developments on Monday: