Flawed policies fueling French protests, yellow jackets spill into Belgium

France, along with other western countries, which had tried to blow out of proportion the isolated incidents of economic protests in Iran as a mass movement against the Islamic Republic, is now facing nationwide demonstrations against the government as Paris is presenting the spectacle of a war zone, threatening to bring down the ruling regime.

Here we present you a Viewpoint Column in this regard that appeared in Iran’s English language daily titled: “Flawed Policies Fueling French Protests, Yellow Jackets Spill into Belgium.”

Kayhan International said: “At the moment Emmanuel Macron seems to be enjoying the spring sunshine in Buenos Aires, away from the wintry cold of Paris, and of course, the mist which for the past two weeks has clouded the French capital as a result of the fire bombs hurled at government offices by thousands of "yellow jacket” protestors and the barrage of tear gas shells fired at them by the security forces.

“If the French president thinks that the G-20 get together in the Argentine capital where he has the privilege to dine and wine with coldblooded murderers like the Saudi Heir Apparent Mohamed bin Salman (MBS) and the terrorist-in-chief Donald Trump of the US, is a much-needed relief from the problems spiraling out of the control back home, he is grossly mistaken.

“The "yellow jackets – who take their name from the vests of that particular colour motorists in France have to carry in their vehicles – are not in the mood of backing down, since their protests, which were initially sparked by anger over fuel tax rises, have mushroomed into mass demonstrations against the ruling party, threatening to terminate the tenure of the increasingly unpopular Macron in the Champs-Elysees.

“When he was elected president in May 2017, there was hope that the youthful Macron may bring out France from the problems plaguing the country as a result of the misconstrued policies of successive administrations in Paris.

“Whatever hopes there were, have largely evaporated as unemployment and inflation have skyrocketed along with the frustration of the French voters.

“The "yellow jackets”, though without a visible leader, appear to be spontaneous protestors, but the growing support they have garnered from the citizens cutting across social classes, means that the French government should come up with a serious solution to defuse the crisis, even if it requires change of government.”

Kayhan International pointed out: “France, whose wayward policies include providing safe haven to terrorists such as the MKO hypocrites whose hands are dipped in the blood of at least 17,000 Iranians including senior officials, should realize the immense harm it is causing to its own national interests by dancing to the tune of the despicable Zionists through meddling in Syria on the side of terrorists, supplying weapons to Saudi Arabia for the massacre in Yemen, accusing Iranian diplomats of baseless charges, and violating the sanctities and liberties of peaceful Shi’a Muslim citizens by closing the Centre Zahra in Dunkirk.

“The French government should consider itself fortunate that unlike the Saudi-supported takfiri terrorists who frequently indulge in murderous attacks in France, neither Islamic Iran harbours or backs any elements opposed to the government in Paris, nor does Lebanon’s legendry anti-terrorist movement, the Hezbollah, has any grouse against Macron for having mimicked Trump to brand it as ‘terrorist’.

“Thus, in order to defuse the crisis at home, France, as well as other European powers, should drop their hypocrisy and be fair and frank when dealing with independent Muslim states and popular movements, and that includes the mode of payment for commercial transactions with the Islamic Republic, instead of beating around the bush on the excuse of American pressures.”

According to Kayhan International: “The rise in fuel prices in France and the resulting inflation, unemployment, and social-political protests which are threatening to unseat the government, cannot be tackled apart from Iran’s rights to trade deals, hydrocarbon exports, access to the international banking system, peaceful use of nuclear energy, development of missile defence technology and the resolve to weed out the illegal Zionist implant.

“Meanwhile, with news from Brussels of the attack yesterday on the prime minister’s offices by the local "yellow jackets” who were for the moment dispersed by water cannons, it seems the movement of the deprived and the downtrodden groaning under the jackboots of the flawed system of liberal democracies is spreading over rest of Western Europe.

“The joining of various strata of society in the movement against the Belgium government and its unpopular policies is proof of this fact. In the words of a demonstrator: "We want this movement to spread. It began in France, it is here now, and we want it to continue to Germany and the Netherlands, across Europe, even to England.”

AS/SS