Gilets Jaunes

The initial Gilets Jaunes (Yellow Vests) protest took place 17 November 2018 across France as a grassroots movement to fight against rising fuel taxes and cost of living. Protesters wore the reflective yellow safety vest required by law in vehicles as a symbol of their cause. Following violence and clashes with the police, the Gilets Jaunes became more of an anti-government movement with many claims added to the list of demands such as social reforms. President Emmanuel Macron eventually dropped the decision to raise fuel taxes in his 2019 budget but purchasing power has continued to decline in France, raising questions if the movement may resurface anytime.