French President Emmanuel Macron has promised tax cuts as part of a round of economic and political reforms aimed at appeasing the Yellow Vest, or Gilet Jaunes, movement that has staged violent and deeply destructive protests throughout France since the autumn of 2018.
Macron promised to deliver deep reforms in governance and tackle what he called the “profound sense of fiscal, social, and provincial injustice” that will require his government to cut red tape by eliminating layers of local/regional government and redirect resources to rural and semi-urban areas.
Most significantly, Macron also promised to provide income support both by slashing income tax and inflation indexing for pensions from 2020.
Between January and March, Macron organised a nation-wide national debate where he listened to public grievances in council meetings. The unprecedented public consultation exercise – branded the “Great National Debate” – also included extended surveys filled in by thousands of public workers. Nonetheless, an Ipsos-Sopra Steria opinion poll for French daily Le Monde, showed that more than three-quarters of French voters did not believe the process would improve the political situation.