France’s yellow vest movement has morphed far beyond a carbon tax protest, Stanford economist says

France’s yellow vest movement, which began as a protest against an increased fuel tax, has evolved into a broader stance against President Emmanuel Macron’s economic policies, says Stanford economist Gregory Rosston. If Macron is to survive politically, he must encourage widespread economic growth along with responsible climate policies, Rosston said.
Here, Rosston, director of Stanford’s Public Policy Program and the Gordon Cain Senior Fellow at the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research, shares his thoughts on the recent demonstrations that began in opposition to a carbon tax that was perceived to disproportionately burden the country’s working class. The yellow vest (gilets jaune) movement – named after the high-visibility jackets the protesters wear – has since taken on a broader political agenda about how to solve some of France’s toughest problems: high unemployment and a stagnant economy.
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