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Poll shows half of people believe Yellow Vests' opinions will be ignored

Only one in two French people (50 percent) think that the government will, even partially, take into account the opinions expressed during the debate initiated by the French government on the issues raised by the Yellow Vests during their weeks of protests.

A protester wearing a yellow vest attends a demonstration by the "yellow vests" movement as police use a water cannon on the Champs Elysees near the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, France, December 22, 2018.
A protester wearing a yellow vest attends a demonstration by the "yellow vests" movement as police use a water cannon on the Champs Elysees near the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, France, December 22, 2018. REUTERS/Christian Hartmann
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Opinions ignored?

According to an interactive Harris poll carried out for RTL and M6, 47 percent believe the opinions will be completely ignored.

Only those affiliated in some way or other to Emmanuel Macron’s Republic on the Move party believe the government will consider (82 percent) those opinions, according to the annual poll for M6 and RTL.

Nearly one in two French people (47 percent) would like the Yellow Vests to present a list of candidates in the European elections in May this year.

A clear majority among supporters of the left-wing France Unbowed party and the PCF – the French Communist Party – (64 percent) , the right-wing National Rally (58 percent) and the Socialist Party (56 percent) believe the Yellow Vests opinions will be ignored.

The French Unbowed respondents also say that they overwhelmingly favor of Citizen's Initiative Referendums (RICs) that can propose laws (80 percent), repeal one (72 percent), or terminate the mandate of an elected official (63 percent).

France 24's timeline of the Yellow Vest protests

Pessimism for 2019

Overall, less than one in two (47 percent) say they are optimistic for the coming year, down 12 points from the same survey a year ago, compared to 51 percent (+13) who said they were pessimistic.

Purchasing power (73 percent, +9) should be the first priority for the government for 2019, fighting terrorism remains a top priority (71 percent, stable) while tackling unemployment is more important this year than last year (70 percent, +1). However, unemployment is also one of the areas in which the French are the least "optimistic" for the coming year (23 percent).

Confidence in the government to carry out various reforms is also limited: only 33 percent believe Macron will "act in a good way" in respect of the reform of the institutions, 32 percent for the reform of the health insurance and 29 percent for that of pensions.

Two in three (67 percent) French finally think that the government must "above all help the purchasing power of the French.

The survey was conducted online over the period 27 to 28 December to and was sent to 1967 people aged 18 and over.

Yellow Vests: Annie Mallon and Kevin Gomes were part of a group of 30 people from Beaumont-sur-Oise who demonstrated on the Champs-Elysées in Paris on 1 December.
Yellow Vests: Annie Mallon and Kevin Gomes were part of a group of 30 people from Beaumont-sur-Oise who demonstrated on the Champs-Elysées in Paris on 1 December. Mike Woods, RFI

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