The Christian Science Monitor

France’s ‘yellow vests’ only have one common message: anger at government

French politician Raphaël Schellenberger listens to the demands of ‘yellow vest’ demonstrators on Dec. 6. The protesters have been gathering daily at a traffic circle in Mulhouse, France, since mid-November.

For Rosa Larocca, a middle-aged headmistress who can switch from a warm smile to a stern look in seconds, it’s all about politics. “The people want a different type of republic and they want [French President Emmanuel] Macron to go,” she says. “What we want are referendums.”

For Shanoon Redovanc, a bespectacled retiree sporting a black woolen hat, it’s about living standards. “This is not just about Macron,” he insists. “I’ve spent two winters without heating because I am scared of the bill. What we all have in common is the search for a life with dignity.”

And for Karl, an unemployed musician with a bushy ginger beardit’s about social

‘The truth is that we are broken’Calls for radical change

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from The Christian Science Monitor

The Christian Science Monitor5 min readInternational Relations
In West Bank, Wave Of Settler Violence Creating Feel Of A War Zone
After years of scattered pinpoint attacks, Israeli settler violence this week enveloped the West Bank and struck larger communities. From Nablus to Jericho to Bethlehem to the edge of Ramallah, deadly attacks by far-right settlers hit towns and villa
The Christian Science Monitor6 min read
How Global Innovators Design A Sustainable Future
The sustainable village of the future, if Martina Wiedemar and Joao Almeida have any say about it, will have solar panels, earthen buildings, and an eco-friendly agroforest, a form of regenerative agriculture that mimics nature to produce climate-fri
The Christian Science Monitor2 min readWorld
Holy Days During Unholy Wars
Despite nearly seven months of war between Hamas and Israel, and lately attacks between Iran and Israel, both Jews and Muslims living in Israel have not forgotten their religious holidays – and the meaning attached to them by prayer and ritual. On M

Related Books & Audiobooks