French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday promised significant tax cuts but also a return to public order in France as he responded to almost six months of protests.
In the first formal domestic news conference of his presidency, Mr Macron promised the French a more humane style of governance.
He said he wanted to scrap the elite university ENA, which has produced top French bureaucrats and presidents including himself, but gave no details.
Mr Macron, 41, swept to power in 2017 on hopes that he would be a young breath of fresh air for France.
But over the past six months, momentum has been knocked out of his presidency by the anti-government Yellow Vest (gilets jaunes) movement that has held weekly protests against social inequality.
"I want cuts for people who work by significantly reducing income taxes," Mr Macron said inside the Elysee Palace.
He said the tax cuts would be worth €5 billion (Dh20.45bn) and paid for by longer working hours, reductions in public spending and eliminating corporate tax breaks.
The announcement came after a public consultation programme called the Great National Debate, which was in response to the protests where high taxes were among the main complaints.
Mr Macron defended a decision to scrap a wealth tax early in his term but said it would be reviewed in 2020.
"It was a reform to stimulate production, not a present for the rich," he said.
With Yellow Vests protests continuing every Saturday, Mr Macron warned organisers, whose demonstrations have often turned violent, that it was time for a return to order.
"The transformations that are in progress and the transformations that are essential for our country should not be stopped," Mr Macron said.
He recognised that the protest movement led to "anger and impatience for change" and praised its "just demands".
But Mr Macron said he regretted that the movement had been partly hijacked by episodes of anti-Semitic violence, attacks on journalists and homophobia.
He said the hatred in some of the demonstrations marked a "regression in civic morality and education, and I will fight against it with all my strength."
Mr Macron, sitting alone at a desk at the Palace's vast main reception hall, answered questions from reporters after his speech.
Criticised for often seeming aloof to people's daily concerns, he tried to show a more humble side.
Mr Macron said the second part of his term would be more humane and said he regretted giving a sense of "always giving out orders, being hard, sometimes unfair".
He said he wanted to put the "human being at the heart of the agenda" with a new method of governance.
"We will need to abolish ENA, among others, to be able to build something else," Mr Macron said.
ENA, the post-graduate school that opened in 1945, is regarded as a symbol of French elitism.
Opinion polls show his popularity rating stuck at or under 30 per cent, a far cry from the days after his inauguration when it was more than 60 per cent.
Mr Macron is planning to stand for the 2022 presidential election, knowing that predecessors Nicolas Sarkozy and Francois Hollande only lasted one term and failed to bring in lasting change.
At stake is his ambitious agenda to modernise France and his status as a global statesman who stood up to US President Donald Trump and could lead Europe as German Chancellor Angela Merkel stepped aside and Britain left the EU.
He admitted to differences with Mrs Merkel, including on Brexit where Berlin has taken a tougher line.
Chelsea 2 Burnley 3
Chelsea Morata (69'), Luiz (88')
Burnley Vokes (24', 43'), Ward (39')
Red cards Cahill, Fabregas (Chelsea)
NBA FINALS SO FAR
(Toronto lead 3-2 in best-of-seven series)
Game 1 Raptors 118 Warriors 109
Game 2 Raptors 104 Warriors 109
Game 3 Warriors 109 Raptors 123
Game 4 Warriors 92 Raptors 105
Game 5 Raptors 105 Warriors 106
Game 6 Thursday, at Oakland
Game 7 Sunday, at Toronto (if needed)
RESULTS
6.30pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-1 Group 1 (PA) Dh119,373 (Dirt) 1,600m
Winner: Brraq, Adrie de Vries (jockey), Jean-Claude Pecout (trainer)
7.05pm: Handicap (TB) Dh102,500 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Taamol, Connor Beasley, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
7.40pm: Handicap (TB) Dh105,000 (Turf) 1,800m
Winner: Eqtiraan, Connor Beasley, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
8.15pm: UAE 1000 Guineas Trial (TB) Dh183,650 (D) 1,400m
Winner: Soft Whisper, Pat Cosgrave, Saeed bin Suroor.
9.50pm: Handicap (TB) Dh105,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Hypothetical, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer.
9.25pm: Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (T) 1,000m
Winner: Etisalat, Sando Paiva, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
UAE rugby season
FIXTURES
West Asia Premiership
Dubai Hurricanes v Dubai Knights Eagles
Dubai Tigers v Bahrain
Jebel Ali Dragons v Abu Dhabi Harlequins
UAE Division 1
Dubai Sharks v Dubai Hurricanes II
Al Ain Amblers v Dubai Knights Eagles II
Dubai Tigers II v Abu Dhabi Saracens
Jebel Ali Dragons II v Abu Dhabi Harlequins II
Sharjah Wanderers v Dubai Exiles II
LAST SEASON
West Asia Premiership
Winners – Bahrain
Runners-up – Dubai Exiles
UAE Premiership
Winners – Abu Dhabi Harlequins
Runners-up – Jebel Ali Dragons
Dubai Rugby Sevens
Winners – Dubai Hurricanes
Runners-up – Abu Dhabi Harlequins
UAE Conference
Winners – Dubai Tigers
Runners-up – Al Ain Amblers
Explainer: Tanween Design Programme
Non-profit arts studio Tashkeel launched this annual initiative with the intention of supporting budding designers in the UAE. This year, three talents were chosen from hundreds of applicants to be a part of the sixth creative development programme. These are architect Abdulla Al Mulla, interior designer Lana El Samman and graphic designer Yara Habib.
The trio have been guided by experts from the industry over the course of nine months, as they developed their own products that merge their unique styles with traditional elements of Emirati design. This includes laboratory sessions, experimental and collaborative practice, investigation of new business models and evaluation.
It is led by British contemporary design project specialist Helen Voce and mentor Kevin Badni, and offers participants access to experts from across the world, including the likes of UK designer Gareth Neal and multidisciplinary designer and entrepreneur, Sheikh Salem Al Qassimi.
The final pieces are being revealed in a worldwide limited-edition release on the first day of Downtown Designs at Dubai Design Week 2019. Tashkeel will be at stand E31 at the exhibition.
Lisa Ball-Lechgar, deputy director of Tashkeel, said: “The diversity and calibre of the applicants this year … is reflective of the dynamic change that the UAE art and design industry is witnessing, with young creators resolute in making their bold design ideas a reality.”
