At the start of his major civil debate, French President Emmanuel Macron admitted a crisis of the middle class. It is a "social break," Macron told about 600 mayors in the Grand Bourgtheroulde parish of Normandy on Tuesday.
The term "social break" was already coined by former head of state Jacques Chirac in the 1990s. Especially the middle class would pay the bill for the crises of the past years, said Macron.
Reaction to the protests of the "yellow west" movement
The 41-year-old reacted with the nationwide dialogue, which should run until mid-March, on mass protests of the "yellow west" movement. It is considered the biggest challenge for the young head of state so far. The "yellow vests" oppose the reform policies of the middle government, and some are calling for Macron's resignation. There have been riots over the past two months (read more here). In front of the gym some "yellow vests" demonstrated, as shown on television pictures. A large security squad was on site.
Macron: "There are no taboos"
In the debate, citizens can make suggestions on the topics of taxes, ecological transition, democracy and migration, as well as state organization. The debate should be under the auspices of the mayors. This should then be followed by concrete decisions. Macron had listed nearly three dozen individual questions in a letter to the French. "There are no taboos," he declared at the inaugural event of the debate. Previously, Linke had accused him to exclude certain topics.
In the dispute over wealth tax Macron signaled willingness to talk. The question was for him "neither a taboo nor a totem," said the social-liberal head of state. The tax had largely been abolished by the Budget Bill of 2018 - this reform had earned Macron a reputation in the country for being a "president of the rich". He had repeatedly ruled out a reintroduction.
According to a recent survey by the station BFMTV, 40 percent of the French want to participate in the "national debate".