French motorists protest carbon tax on fuel

BBC:

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The price of diesel, the most commonly used fuel in French cars, has risen by around 23% over the past 12 months to an average of €1.51 (£1.32; $1.71) per litre, its highest point since the early 2000s, AFP news agency reports.

World oil prices did rise before falling back again but the Macron government raised its hydrocarbon tax this year by 7.6 cents per litre on diesel and 3.9 cents on petrol, as part of a campaign for cleaner cars and fuel.

The decision to impose a further increase of 6.5 cents on diesel and 2.9 cents on petrol on 1 January 2019 was seen as the final straw.

Speaking on Wednesday, the president blamed world oil prices for three-quarters of the price rise. He also said more tax on fossil fuels was needed to fund renewable energy investments.

It has broad support. Nearly three-quarters of respondents to a poll by the Elabe institute backed the Yellow Vests and 70% wanted the government to reverse the fuel tax hikes.

More than half of French people who voted for Mr Macron support the protests, Elabe's Vincent Thibault told AFP.
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The BBC really buried the lead on this story.  You have to read half the story to get to why the people are upset.  Macron's statement about the price of oil appears to be inconsistent with the current market where prices are falling.  In fact, people are finding gas in Texas for under $2 a gallon.   The real problem is the attempt to push an anti-fossil fuel agenda by the climate change crowd.  To give you a comparison there are just under four liters in a gallon and the price would be close to $6.50 a gallon, over three times the current price here in Texas.

If the French are balking at the cost of complying with the Paris accords, you can imagine what people in the US would do.  Democrats would likely be chased down the street.