Crowds of protesters in France all wearing these yellow, high visibility jackets.

在法國的抗議群眾身穿這些黃色、高識別度的背心。

The protests, originally over planned fuel tax rises, began back in November 2018 and involved blockading highways across rural parts of the country.

這場抗議原先是計劃來抗議燃料稅增加，它始於 2018 年的十一月，人們封鎖國內的鄉間高速公路。

Since then, hundreds of thousands of demonstrators have mobilized against the government.

自那時起，數十萬示威者動員抵抗政府。

Central Paris saw millions of dollars in damage and its most violent protest in a decade, something authorities attribute to the movement's more radical factions.

巴黎市中心損失數百萬，面臨了十年來最暴力的抗議者，官方將之歸因於這起運動中的激進分子。

In response, France's President Emmanuel Macron has scrapped the fuel tax hike and many of his other proposed economic reforms.

作為回應，法國總統艾曼紐．馬克宏決定放棄燃料稅增稅以及其他提議過的經濟改革政策。

But the protests haven't stopped.

但抗議並未因此停止。

In fact, the 'Gilets Jaunes' or 'Yellow Vest' movement is now spreading across Europe.

事實上，黃背心事件 (Gilets Jaunes) 已經擴散到了全歐洲。

Back in May 2017, Emmanuel Macron won the presidential election on the back of policies that promised numerous economic reforms that would help improve, among other things, social mobility and the environment.

回到過去，2017 年五月，艾曼紐．馬克宏贏得總統大選，承諾會實施各項經濟改革，幫助改善社會流動和大環境，以及其他方面。

To tackle both these issues, the government committed to increasing the country's carbon tax, which included ramping up the price of diesel, the most commonly used car fuel in France.

針對這兩項，政府決定增加該國的碳稅，措施包含提高柴油價格，這也是法國境內最通用的汽車燃料。

This would commit the country to the French President's environmental policy strategy and raise money for the government, as it tries to stimulate France's economy, which has been stagnating for years.

這讓法國能夠按照總統的環境政策策略，並且為政府籌錢，用以促進法國停滯多年的經濟。

In the past, reducing carbon emissions had widespread support in France.

在過去，法國各地皆響應減少碳排放。

But diesel here is really expensive, with drivers paying more than $6 a gallon, double the price that motorists pay in the U.S.

但柴油在這裡真的很貴，駕駛每加侖要付超過 6 美金，差不多是美國駕駛付的兩倍。

Along with the increased carbon tax, the government also proposed stricter emission standards and lowering speed limits across the country.

政府不僅提高碳稅，還提出了更嚴格的碳排放標準，以及下修限速。

That's one of the reasons why the movement rose up from small-town, rural France.

這可以解釋為何這起運動是由法國鄉間的小鎮爆發。

These are places with very little public transport, where people depend on their cars, which by the way are required by law to hold a yellow visibility vest.

這些地方很少公共交通運輸，人們大多仰賴自駕，順帶一提，法律規定駕駛人需隨身配備一件黃色背心。

Following the riots in Paris, where more than a thousand people were arrested, President Macron decided to scrap the increases to the carbon tax.

在巴黎發生暴動，上千人被逮捕後，總統馬克宏決定捨棄增加碳稅。

But while the number of people attending weekend protests has dropped since these concessions, the demonstrations against the government have still continued.

雖然在政府讓步以後，每週末的抗議群眾減少了，但反政府的示威者依然持續行動。

What started as a protest over planned fuel tax rises has come to encapsulate other grievances amongst the rural population and small-town France.

原先只是針對燃料稅增稅的抗議，變成了法國鄉間小鎮居民宣洩不滿情緒的管道。

The decentralized movement doesn't have one, recognized leader and demands vary among protesters, but they're all united by one thing - their dislike for the president and many of his government's policies.

各地的抗議運動並沒有一個統一的領導者，而且訴求各異，但他們都因同一件事而集結，那就是對於總統及其政府政策的不滿。

Many believe these communities feel abandoned by what they see as an out of touch, wealthy, metropolitan elite who govern them from Paris without really understanding their wants and needs.

許多人相信，這些群體感到被一個遙不可及的、富裕的、不食人間煙火的人所遺忘，這個人在巴黎管控著一切，卻從未真正了解人民的需求。

Macron's labor reforms, which reduced France's famously strong job protections, also proven unpopular with the Yellow Vest movement.

馬克宏的勞動改革，也就是減少法國出名的強勢勞工保障，同樣在黃背心事件中受到抨擊。

What was supposed to encourage businesses to hire more people actually resulted in thousands of people losing their jobs.

本該鼓勵企業僱用更多人的政策，卻導致上千人失業。

The president's supporters argue that his business-friendly policies will help attract investors, reduce the country's budget deficit and revitalize the euro zone's second-largest economy.

總統支持者爭論說，他的政策對企業友善，將能夠幫助吸引投資者、減少國家預算赤字，並且復興歐元區第二大經濟體。

His budget also helps the middle class by cutting housing taxes by about $11.4 billion.

藉由砍掉近 1140 億美金的住房稅，他的預算也能夠幫助中產階級。

But protesters argue it's the wealthiest in society who have benefited the most from his reforms.

但抗議者爭辯道，改革後最大的受益者是社會上最富裕的那群。

Macron's cut to France's wealth tax means the richest one percent of the country has gained the most from his new tax breaks.

馬克宏砍掉了法國的富人稅，意味著該國最富的 1% 人將從所得稅寬減額獲益最多。

Around the bottom fifth of households are actually worse off.

在底層，有五分之一的家庭其實會過得更慘。

It's these policies which critics believe reinforces the image of a president, a former investment banker, whose main concern is protecting the interests of the country's wealthy.

評論家相信，正是這些政策加深了總統身為前投資銀行家的形象，這個角色負責維護國內富人的利益。

But many experts see strong resistance to reforms, followed by government backtracking, as a predictable cycle of modern political life in France.

但許多專家將改革引發的抗議行動，以及政府隨即撤回政策的舉動，視為現代法國經濟可預測的一環。

For example, pension reforms in 1995 were swiftly followed by mass strikes that paralyzed the country's public services.

舉例來說，在 1995 年的退休金改革很快就引發大型罷工，癱瘓了國內公共服務。

Prime Minister Alain Juppe was eventually forced to drop the retirement reform plan.

首相阿蘭．居貝最終被迫放棄退休金改革計劃。

Today, France's unemployment rate of more than nine percent is one of the highest among OECD countries.

在今日，法國超過 9% 的失業率在經濟合作暨發展組織成員國中算前幾高。

Many economists argue that Macron's reforms were designed to improve a struggling economy that recently became the most taxed among OECD members.

許多經濟學家爭辯，馬克宏的改革是設計來要挽救掙扎中的法國經濟，法國最近也成為稅收最多的經濟合作暨發展組織成員國。

Those shrinking economic opportunities coupled with a lack of democratic representation has caused discontent to grow amongst rural communities against the political system as a whole.

縮減的工作機會和民主代表的缺失，這兩者導致鄉間群體對於整體政治系統的不滿。

As Macron's approval rating hovers around 27 percent and support for the Yellow Vest movement moves above 80 percent in some surveys, many feel he's facing the biggest crisis of his presidency.

某些調查指出，馬克宏的支持率懸浮於 27% 左右，黃背心事件的支持率則超過 80%，很多人都感到他正面臨總統生涯中最大的挑戰。

But now a counter movement to the Yellow Vests, called the 'Foulards Rouges' or Red Scarves, has emerged, saying they are defending democracy and have marched in Paris, demanding an end to the violence at Gilets Jaunes rallies.

但現在也出現了反抗黃背心事件的運動，稱為紅圍巾 (Foulards Rouges)，他們在巴黎街頭遊行，表示要捍衛民主，並要求黃背心事件終止暴力行為。

However, resentment against Macron and his economic reforms may be just one part of the Yellow Vest movement.

然而，對於馬克宏和他的經濟改革的不滿，或許只是黃背心事件的冰山一角。

Experts believe it's become a wider populist phenomenon, having spread to Germany, Belgium, Sweden, the Netherlands and the U.K., who's to say where it's headed next?

專家相信它已演變成一種更廣的民粹主義現象，現已擴散至德國、比利時、瑞典、荷蘭以及英國，誰也說不準下一個會是哪國。

Hi guys, thanks for watching our video from here in a very chilly Paris.

各位觀眾好，謝謝觀賞我們這部來自冷颼颼巴黎的影片。

Do watch more of our videos by clicking these.

請點選這裡觀看更多我們的影片。

And let us know what you think of the Gilets Jaunes, what side of the political debate are you on?

還有讓我們知道你對黃背心事件的感想，你支持哪一方呢？

And remember, don't forget to subscribe.

還有記得別忘記訂閱哦。