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| Macron’s Proposal to Mollify Yellow Vest Protesters Fails to Impress | Macron’s Proposal to Mollify Yellow Vest Protesters Fails to Impress |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| PARIS — The fine print of President Emmanuel Macron’s financial proposal, intended to end protests by France’s middle class and working poor, was still sinking in Tuesday, but many of the protesters already were expressing disappointment and calling for new demonstrations this weekend. | PARIS — The fine print of President Emmanuel Macron’s financial proposal, intended to end protests by France’s middle class and working poor, was still sinking in Tuesday, but many of the protesters already were expressing disappointment and calling for new demonstrations this weekend. |
| The president’s 13-minute speech on Monday evening detailed an increase in the amount minimum wage workers would receive in their pockets each month (100 euros, or $113), an exemption from taxes on overtime pay, and an exemption on certain social security taxes for retirees who earn less than 2,000 euros, or $2,265, a month. | The president’s 13-minute speech on Monday evening detailed an increase in the amount minimum wage workers would receive in their pockets each month (100 euros, or $113), an exemption from taxes on overtime pay, and an exemption on certain social security taxes for retirees who earn less than 2,000 euros, or $2,265, a month. |
| The proposals showed that the president was prepared to move “quickly and forcefully” to respond to the anger of working people who cannot make ends meet, said Édouard Philippe, the prime minister. | The proposals showed that the president was prepared to move “quickly and forcefully” to respond to the anger of working people who cannot make ends meet, said Édouard Philippe, the prime minister. |
| But the intended beneficiaries of the changes said they were doubtful about how helpful they would be, and local elected officials said their constituents had mixed views of the president’s plan and his tone. | But the intended beneficiaries of the changes said they were doubtful about how helpful they would be, and local elected officials said their constituents had mixed views of the president’s plan and his tone. |
| For the mayor of Plaisir, a town on the far outskirts of Paris, the proposal was a “first step that resembles an immediate band aid, to try to stop this uncontrolled wave,” said Joséphine Kollmannsberger. She watched the speech Monday with 50 local shopkeepers. | For the mayor of Plaisir, a town on the far outskirts of Paris, the proposal was a “first step that resembles an immediate band aid, to try to stop this uncontrolled wave,” said Joséphine Kollmannsberger. She watched the speech Monday with 50 local shopkeepers. |
| “There is real suffering in France, in the provinces there are deep difficulties,” the mayor added, with citizens suffering from low incomes and villages and towns struggling to afford the services they offer. | “There is real suffering in France, in the provinces there are deep difficulties,” the mayor added, with citizens suffering from low incomes and villages and towns struggling to afford the services they offer. |
| Although Mr. Macron’s proposals were not insignificant — they will cost the French government about 10 billion euros, or about $11.3 billion, said Bruno Le Maire, the finance minister — they will not touch many of those who have been demonstrating, who already earn more than the minimum wage and so will not benefit from the increase. | Although Mr. Macron’s proposals were not insignificant — they will cost the French government about 10 billion euros, or about $11.3 billion, said Bruno Le Maire, the finance minister — they will not touch many of those who have been demonstrating, who already earn more than the minimum wage and so will not benefit from the increase. |
| And among the lowest earners, many viewed Mr. Macron as deceptive in his description of how much he would help people taking home the minimum wage. | And among the lowest earners, many viewed Mr. Macron as deceptive in his description of how much he would help people taking home the minimum wage. |
| “He made it sound like he was increasing the SMIC,” said Joelle Santos, who works as a janitor in Paris, referring to the minimum wage by its French acronym. | “He made it sound like he was increasing the SMIC,” said Joelle Santos, who works as a janitor in Paris, referring to the minimum wage by its French acronym. |
| “But he’s not really helping. He’s a banker, he knows what he’s doing. It is not part of the salary, it won’t help when we retire,” she said. | “But he’s not really helping. He’s a banker, he knows what he’s doing. It is not part of the salary, it won’t help when we retire,” she said. |
| Her disappointment comes from the fine print on the changes Mr. Macron announced in the minimum wage. | Her disappointment comes from the fine print on the changes Mr. Macron announced in the minimum wage. |
| Instead of raising the base wage, which would have raised costs for businesses, he accelerated already-planned increases in a government subsidy that low-wage earners can claim. | |
| But the subsidy does not count toward a worker’s monthly salary figure and so is not part of the calculation for unemployment or retirement benefits. Nor are all low-wage earners automatically eligible for the subsidy. | But the subsidy does not count toward a worker’s monthly salary figure and so is not part of the calculation for unemployment or retirement benefits. Nor are all low-wage earners automatically eligible for the subsidy. |
| That sense among voters of having been deceived is a problem that has haunted Mr. Macron since his election victory last year, after he had campaigned on promises to make France grow and reduce unemployment. Growth has come slowly in the past year and unemployment, while lower, is still hovering just above 9 percent. | That sense among voters of having been deceived is a problem that has haunted Mr. Macron since his election victory last year, after he had campaigned on promises to make France grow and reduce unemployment. Growth has come slowly in the past year and unemployment, while lower, is still hovering just above 9 percent. |
| While the proposals may have failed to impress many, the news for the government was not all bad. | While the proposals may have failed to impress many, the news for the government was not all bad. |
| Public opinion polls suggested that the combination of destruction to property and violence were taking a toll on support for the Yellow Vests. | Public opinion polls suggested that the combination of destruction to property and violence were taking a toll on support for the Yellow Vests. |
| “The support for the protesters was already going down because some people were upset by the economic consequences and frightened by the violence,” said Brice Teinturier, the deputy director general of the Ipsos Institute, a polling firm. | “The support for the protesters was already going down because some people were upset by the economic consequences and frightened by the violence,” said Brice Teinturier, the deputy director general of the Ipsos Institute, a polling firm. |
| In polls taken before the president’s announcement, the support for the Yellow Vests movement had dropped from between 70 and 80 percent to 60 percent, he said. | In polls taken before the president’s announcement, the support for the Yellow Vests movement had dropped from between 70 and 80 percent to 60 percent, he said. |
| Another poll, taken just after the president’s announcement of the financial measures, suggested people were still sorting out their views. While more than half of those polled said they wanted the protests to stop, the same percentage of respondents said they also sympathized with the protesters. | Another poll, taken just after the president’s announcement of the financial measures, suggested people were still sorting out their views. While more than half of those polled said they wanted the protests to stop, the same percentage of respondents said they also sympathized with the protesters. |
| Mr. Teinturier said the amount of money Mr. Macron was going to dole out to low earners was enough to make a difference, but it did not address the demands for a more fair distribution of incomes between rich and poor. | Mr. Teinturier said the amount of money Mr. Macron was going to dole out to low earners was enough to make a difference, but it did not address the demands for a more fair distribution of incomes between rich and poor. |
| “The dimension of fiscal justice, which is one of the motors of the movement, the feeling that the efforts are not equally shared, to that he did not respond,” Mr. Teinturier said. | “The dimension of fiscal justice, which is one of the motors of the movement, the feeling that the efforts are not equally shared, to that he did not respond,” Mr. Teinturier said. |
| A Yellow Vest protester from eastern France, Axelle Cavalheiro, who has traveled to Paris twice to protest, said she had been hopeful before the president’s speech, but was disappointed by his plan. | A Yellow Vest protester from eastern France, Axelle Cavalheiro, who has traveled to Paris twice to protest, said she had been hopeful before the president’s speech, but was disappointed by his plan. |
| “It doesn’t help me,” said Ms. Cavalheiro, of the president’s announcement. “I don’t know any one in my group of Yellow Vests whom it will help. Most of us earn more than the minimum wage, but not enough to pay for things we need.” | “It doesn’t help me,” said Ms. Cavalheiro, of the president’s announcement. “I don’t know any one in my group of Yellow Vests whom it will help. Most of us earn more than the minimum wage, but not enough to pay for things we need.” |
| Still, Ms. Cavalheiro said she might not be able to come this weekend to protest, suggesting an exhaustion factor for some of the Yellow Vests, even as dissatisfaction with the president’s policies remains high. | Still, Ms. Cavalheiro said she might not be able to come this weekend to protest, suggesting an exhaustion factor for some of the Yellow Vests, even as dissatisfaction with the president’s policies remains high. |
| “With Macron, the rich just get richer and the poor get poorer,” she said. | “With Macron, the rich just get richer and the poor get poorer,” she said. |