France Yellow Vest Protest

The promises are appealing - and expensive. Vying to oust the centrist government of President Emmanuel Macron in an upcoming two-round parliamentary election June 30 and July 7, French political parties of both the far right and far left are vowing to cut gasoline taxes, let workers retire earlier and raise wages. Their campaign pledges threaten to bust an already-swollen government budget, push up French interest rates and strain France's relations with the European Union. The snap election could well replace Macron's limping centrist government with one led by parties whose campaigns have abandoned any pretence of fiscal discipline,' economist Brigitte Granville of Queen Mary University of London wrote Thursday on the Project Syndicate website. The turbulence began June 9 when voters handed Macron a defeat at the hands of Marine Le Pen's hard right National Rally party in EU parliamentary elections. Macron promptly and surprisingly called a snap parliamentary election, convince

Some were seen throwing stones at officers and setting fire to street trash cans, a motorcycle and other urban equipment on Place d'Italie, in the southeast of the city

The effect may extend through the holiday season

Around 66,000 protesters turned out again on Saturday for a fifth round of anti-government demonstrations

France experienced its worst riots in decades last weekend, in scenes that shook the country and plunged President Emmanuel Macron's government into its deepest crisis so far

At least 1,385 protesters were arrested across France during the fourth weekend of 'gilets jaunes' or the 'yellow vest' demonstrations

The French government on Sunday urged Donald Trump not to interfere in French politics after the US president posted tweets about the protests rocking the country and attacked the Paris climate agreement. "We do not take domestic American politics into account and we want that to be reciprocated," Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told LCI television. "I say this to Donald Trump and the French president says it too: leave our nation be." Trump had on Saturday posted two tweets referring to the "yellow vest" anti-government protests that have swept France since mid-November and sparked rioting in Paris. "Very sad day & night in Paris. Maybe it's time to end the ridiculous and extremely expensive Paris Agreement and return money back to the people in the form of lower taxes?" he suggested. Trump had earlier posted: "The Paris Agreement isn't working out so well for Paris. Protests and riots all over France. "People do not want to pay large sums of money, much to third world ...

Macron, also set to meet trade unionists and business leaders, is expected to announce 'immediate and concrete measures' to respond to the crisis

The French Foreign Minister stressed that France does not interfere in American politics and the US should reciprocate

Pressure piling up on President Macron to placate protesters

Protesters rioted in Paris and cities across France on Saturday in a fourth weekend of unrest that first erupted over high living costs

Conte will argue that his government is the only defense against unrest and social revolt taking place across Europe

The number of protesters who turn out could determine the fate of the movement, five days after Macron announced a series of tax and wage concessions in a bid to end the unrest

The weekend's protests against Macron's tax and social policies came as divisions appeared among the yellow vests -- named after the high-visibility vests they wear -- as to where to take the movement

Dubbed the 'red scarf' movement, the centrist initiative is the brainchild of an engineer from Toulouse who was horrified by the violence seen among more extremist 'yellow vest' demonstrators