Darmanin says the government is hearing a "fiscal loaf," but wants to reduce its dependence on oil

Acting and State Accounts Minister Gerald Darmanin in Paris, 14 November 2018, MARIJAM

The government is hearing a "low tax," but his "duty" is to transform the economy to make it less dependent on oil, said Sunday's Minister of Action and Public Relations Gerald Darmanin, fully mobilizing "yellow waistcoats."

"The government, of course, heard this event, which is important (…) and who wanted to show that there was a headache," said Darmanin at the radio "Radio J."

"What are we doing? We pass part of the labor tax, so that people are taxed less on work, as pollution," said Darmanin after a demonstration that brought together almost 288,000 people across France on Saturday and continued on a Sunday.

These "yellow wolves" are protesting the increase in fuel taxation and, more broadly, against the apparent loss of purchasing power.

"Of course, the environmental tax is difficult, but even more difficult is France's dependence on 40 years (in relation to the Middle East and, in particular, the Arab Petromonaks) Arabia," said the minister who oversees the tax administration.

"This carbon economy is very bad for a French company, our companies," said Darmanin, with particular reference to the costs of social insurance for diseases caused by fine particulate matter from diesel cars.

"If we know it's bad for the French economy and for French health, we have to do something different," he said.

"We have heard this anger, but we want to tell the French language that it is our duty to transform our economy so that they are not dependent and that it is good for their health," insisted the minister.

Mr Darmanin also stressed that his government has worked to reduce the tax burden in general.

"We reduce taxes, we lower the housing tax (…), we lower corporate income tax, eliminate ISF (property tax Ed), we have introduced a single tax" he has listed.

"Everything shows that for 17 months, we land taxes in our country, maybe we can not lower the taxes on those who protest, in this case, we decided not to lower the income tax, but to abolish taxes, such as housing taxes and especially the most popular categories, but we are cutting taxes, and we continue to do so, "he promised.