Laurence Haim on the Challenges Facing Macron’s Presidency

AMANPOUR: So, Mr. Marcon and his government have backed down after four weeks of protests and in the face of more this weekend, they have scrapped the fuel tax. Are you surprised by that?

HAIM: We are all surprised. But it was inevitable. You had to do it because in front of this moment, this is what people are calling a historical crisis. Nobody knows what’s going to happen on Saturday. The climate is extremely (INAUDIBLE). You have been, Christiane, in may warzone, I have been with you on the road. And I can tell you that it’s the same atmosphere that before a big explosion. This is extremely (INAUDIBLE). The Elize yesterday was saying that they fear for the worst on Saturday. And you cannot take this thing as so many Americans are doing like, “Oh, my God. This is again the French, they’re striking.” This time, this is very different and this is very serious.

AMANPOUR: So, tell me what you mean by its very different? And you use the word explosive and you talk about the Elize (ph) bracing for the worst. Again, you are an insider or at least you have been. So, this is serious what you’re saying.

HAIM: It’s extremely serious. Again, yesterday, the spokesperson from the Eliza (ph) was saying that their fear for violence. The climate is extremely volatile. And I’m very surprised coming from the United States on being friends (INAUDIBLE) American, I’m very surprised by the personalization of the conflict. People are protesting against taxes. But now, they are also protesting, personally speaking, against President Macron. There’s a real personalization. (INAUDIBLE), this movement, which at that this time does not have leader, all over France and in Paris, when you talk to the people they are saying, “We hate Macron. We don’t want him. He has to resign.” In the demonstration last Saturday mixed with a lot of violence, you heard that, “Please, Macron, resign,” and that’s what’s scary. Yesterday evening, on a news program in France, there was a leader who was asking the people to march on the Eliza (ph). You have to remember, Christiane, something, France has a new story of revolution, and this is not like in the United States. Here, in the past 200 years, when people are not happy, they’re going to the streets, they protest and sometimes, unfortunately, it’s extremely violent.

AMANPOUR: I am though still extraordinarily bemused because I have covered France a lot, I’ve covered violent protests, I have watched presidents backdown in the past. And I am still trying to figure out what makes this one so much different.