What now for France's gilets jaunes?
The gilets jaunes are still on the roundabouts of many French towns and cities even though they have achieved most of what they set out at the start of the movement.
European constitutional law expert Patrick Martin-Genier, who teaches at the Sorbonne University, expects them to stay active and visible for “some time to come”.
He said: “It has morphed from being a movement with specific demands, linked to purchasing power and taxes, into a political movement.
“Now their aims are for the government to completely change its policies, or for the government to fall. Those are purely political aims.”
He added that it has become obvious that the ideal government for a large swathe of protesters is one of the extreme right.
“They might not take part in a formal way in the national debate launched by President Macron but they will try to influence it, if only by staying on the roundabouts.
“And they are looking to the European elections in May, where they hope to get people to vote for parties with values held by the far right,” he said.
He said he did not expect the movement to go international but noted that in Germany, Belgium and the UK, where there have been gilet jaune protests, they were dominated by overtly far-right politicians.
The different cultures of demonstrating meant that they were unlikely to have the same level of impact as the French protests.
One of the early spokesmen for the gilets jaunes, Thierry Paul Valette, has co-founded the organisation Gilets Jaunes Citoyens, which he says intends to take part in the European elections.
He said: “Inevitably, it has become political and the way to continue political action is to take part in elections.
“We will be on lists all over France and mobilise people to try and get as many votes as we can.”
He said the Gilets Jaunes Citoyens movement was “not right and not left” but had a position that decisions taken by the government should put the people first. It also supports a constitution change to allow the people to vote in referendums on matters that affect them (see page 6).
“Of course, we will be taking part also in the national debate organised by President Macron,” he said.
“We have to make ourselves heard in every way possible, and that includes roundabouts as well as the meetings organised in the national debate.
“How long will it last? I can only say for a long time to come.”
