Sparked by claims that the fuel tax was intended to finance tax cuts for big business<ref name="reut11"/> (a characterization that French President [[Emmanuel Macron]] has objected to, stating that the fuel tax was intended to discourage [[fossil fuel]] use as a way to [[climate change mitigation|combat climate change]]<ref>{{Cite web|last=Felix|first=Bate|date=2 December 2018|title=France's Macron learns the hard way: green taxes carry political risks|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-climate-change-france-protests/frances-macron-learns-the-hard-way-green-taxes-carry-political-risks-idUSKBN1O10AQ|url-status=livedead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118003948if_20201118003948/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-climate-change-france-protests/frances-macron-learns-the-hard-way-green-taxes-carry-political-risks-idUSKBN1O10AQ|archive-date=18 November 2020|access-date=22 November 2020|website=Reuters|quote=Macron introduced new carbon taxes to urge motorists to change behavior and protect the environment...His goal is for France to cut carbon emissions by 40 percent by 2030 and boost the use of cleaner energies at the same time.}}</ref><ref name=figaro0611/>) and including many people motivated by economic difficulties due to low salaries and high energy prices,<ref name="NYT_Creuse"/> the yellow vests movement has called for [[Redistribution of income and wealth|redistributive]] economic policies like a [[wealth tax]], increased [[pension]]s, a higher [[minimum wage]], and reduced salaries for politicians.<ref name="bloo11"/> While some commentators have claimed that the movement was a backlash to policies meant to combat climate change,<ref>{{Cite web|last=Editorial Board|date=3 December 2018|title=The Global Carbon Tax Revolt|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-global-carbon-tax-revolt-1543880507|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108111626/https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-global-carbon-tax-revolt-1543880507|archive-date=8 November 2020|access-date=22 November 2020|website=The Wall Street Journal}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=DeVore|first=Chuck|date=7 December 2018|title=Paris Is Burning Over Climate Change Taxes -- Is America Next?|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/chuckdevore/2018/12/07/paris-is-burning-over-climate-change-taxes-is-america-next/?sh=1af607e5632e|access-date=22 November 2020|website=Forbes}}</ref> a communique released by the movement calls for a "real ecological policy", including fuel and kerosene taxes for ships and airplanes, but objects to policies like the gas tax that hit the poor and working class most heavily.<ref name="nerw11"/><ref name="nyt1123"/>
