French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe gives the first conclusions of a "Great National Debate" on April 8, 2019. (Photo: AFP/VNA)

Giving the first conclusions of a "Great National Debate" which was launched in January, Philippe said that French citizens had expressed "an enormous exasperation" over the country's tax burden and also wanted to be more directly involved in France's democracy and the fight against climate change.

The "yellow vest" protests began in small-town France in mid-November, initially over fuel taxes before spiralling into a nation-wide revolt against President Emmanuel Macron. The "Great National Debate" has involved 10,000 meetings in community halls around the country and two million online comments.