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Explaining France’s Grassroots “Yellow Vest” Movement – And Why It’s Spreading Across Europe

December 3, 2018

Explaining France’s Grassroots “Yellow Vest” Movement – And Why It’s Spreading Across Europe

For three weeks, tens-of-thousands of French protesters have donned yellow vests and marched throughout Paris. While the “yellow vest” movement began on November 17 as a grassroots protest against president Emmanuel Macron’s gas tax – levied in the name of climate change, it has morphed into a general rage against the French government in general at a time when Macron’s approval rating is at an all time low.

What’s more, the movement is spreading – with yellow vest demonstrations seen in Belgium, Italy and the Netherlands by those expressing frustration over similar issues. The protests have turned violent, as disaffected rioters have been setting cars on fire, causing structural damage, and assaulting the police.

Riot cops in Brussels, for example, were pelted with billiard balls, cobblestones and other hard objects last week, while the yellow vest movement is now working to form a Belgian political party under the name Mouvement citoyen belge. 

What’s behind the movement?

French authorities have predictably blamed the right-wing for the protests – with interior minister Christophe Castaner denouncing National Rally (*formerly National Front) leader Marine Le Pen of encouraging the violence.

“Marine Le Pen urged people to come to the Champs Elysees, and there are members of the ultra-right putting up barriers,” said Castaner, adding “They have responded to Marine Le Pen’s call and want to take the institutions of state. We want people to be responsible.”

The real cause, however, may be quite a bit more nuanced and a long time coming. As political commentator Kark Sharro suggests in a seven-part tweetstorm, the Yellow Vest movement is “about marginalsation and the impotence felt by ordinary people.”

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Macron Is Using the “Fake News” Excuse to Attack Press Freedom

January 19, 2018

Macron Is Using the “Fake News” Excuse to Attack Press Freedom

Only on the free market of ideas can information be checked and double-checked.

In press statements for the beginning of this year, French president Emmanuel Macron announced his plans for cracking down on fake news. Haunted by the controversial Macron Leaks towards the end of the presidential campaign (which he won in May last year), the new French president was expected to go after the practice early in his term. The accuracy of the online information flow is important, but Macron’s solutions are seriously worrying.

Macron’s Aim

In the press conference, Emmanuel Macron announced that restricting the presence of fake news online was essential to French democracy, andadded:

“As you know, propagating fake news on social media these days only demands a couple of tens of thousands of euros, and can be done while remaining completely anonymous.”

While it is true that you can spend tens of thousands of euros, fake news can easily be spread with no money whatsoever. All it takes on social media is for a post to go viral, in which case there is no need to sponsor the posts at all.

In order to achieve better public information, Macron wants to make transparency about who operates and runs news websites compulsory (if it sponsors content on social media), and give judges the possibility to completely delete content. His proposed bill will only apply for election periods, during which he says that public opinion should be fuelled by facts, not false information. This restriction was due to the “#MacronLeaks” which happened shortly before the second round of France’s presidential election in May last year. Thousands of emails of Macron’s staffers had been leaked on 4Chan and led to wild accusations.

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