Lincoln man has a French connection to Paris riots
'This is a blue-collar movement against the elite'
'This is a blue-collar movement against the elite'
'This is a blue-collar movement against the elite'
As U.S. gas prices slide to their lowest level in nearly two years, price increases in France are fueling political unrest and riots.
A Lincoln man with French ties has been watching the protests closely.
"I think France is kind of lost right now and I think people are kind of tired. And I think it's going to get worse before it gets better," Laurent de Villers said.
The 34-year-old is a French citizen living in the U.S.
His wife is from McCool Junction.
De Villiers is an author and business consultant, and has a special connection to French politics.
"My dad ran for president in 1995 and 2007," de Villiers said.
His uncle, Pierre de Villiers a former general, is a person many French protesters have said they would like to see as prime minister.
"This is a blue-collar movement against the elite, the people in charge, the oligarchy," de Villiers said.
Over the weekend, de Villiers watched the chaos and the violence in streets of Paris.
His best friend streamed cellphone video live during a video chat.
"They arrested over 1,000 people that day. That's just unheard of," de Villiers said.
The protesters wear yellow vests that drivers are required to have in their vehicles.
De Villiers said the protesters are upset with President Emmanuel Macron about wages not keeping up with inflation and other tax policies they believe favor the rich.
The recent protests were sparked by a new green tax imposed on fuel to decrease carbon emissions.
"Culturally, French people feel the climate is an issue and we should address it but we're jealous of what's happening in America," de Villiers said.
"They want him to turn into somewhat of a classy Trump, where the French people become his priority and not the climate."
De Villiers is not saying who is right or wrong, only that Americans should take stock in what they have.
"They used to complain when Obama was president on one hand, now it's the other hand that complains. So if it's not the right, it's the left. We have it pretty good here," de Villiers said.
"If anything, the grass is greener on this side."
de Villiers said he is not recommending any of his friends travel to France.
"Because at this point it's just a mess," de Villiers said.
In response to the riots, Macron pledged on Monday to speed up tax relief for struggling workers and to scrap a tax hike for retirees.
The French leader also reiterated earlier promises to raise the minimum wage and to abolish taxes on overtime pay.