French President Emmanuel Macron has bowed to pressure from the "yellow vest" movement, announcing a slew of measures aimed at diffusing weeks of violent protests.
In a televised address to the nation on Monday, Macron promised a rise in the minimum wage and tax concessions.
"…..A worker on the minimum wage will see his pay increase by 100 euros a month as soon as 2019 without extra cost to the employer…….. Overtime will be paid, free of taxes, starting in 2019. And I want for a real improvement to be perceptible straight away. This is why I will ask all the employers who can afford it to pay their employees an end-of-year bonus. This bonus will come tax-free….."
However, Macron said he would not reinstate a tax on the wealthy, suggesting it would weaken the nation.
He was mostly apologetic in his speech, though he did condemn the violence that has left most of Paris in ruins.
