, Columnist
Macron Puts on His Yellow Vest
France’s president has boosted spending to quell the riots. It might just work in the short term, but it’s hard to feel confident about his future reforms.
The old curse.
Photographer: Eric Feferberg/AFP/Getty Images
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If you thought Emmanuel Macron was too much of a technocrat, you’ll only be partially convinced by his attempt to switch to a yellow vest.
France’s president has fallen prey to the same curse that has afflicted all of his predecessors over the past decade: angry protests over necessary economic reforms, and plummeting popularity. Despite his solid start as a new force in French politics backed by a grass-roots movement, Macron has opted for a familiar response after several weekends of rioting by the gilets jaunes.