WHEN EMMANUEL MACRON launches his promised "great national debate" on January 15th, he hopes to show a willingness to listen to the popular rage behind the gilets jaunes (yellow jacket) protesters who have been occupying roundabouts and motorway toll booths in anger initially at fuel tax rises, but now with a much longer list of grievances. The French president has asked for ideas on four topics, which he wants to be discussed online and in town halls until mid-March: the environment, democracy, public services and taxes. It was the claim of unfair taxation-and a feeling among protesters that the money raised did them no good-that first mobilised the gilets jaunes. "But what do you do with all that dough?" asked one early gilet jaune in a clip that went viral.
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