Philippe to announce 3 month suspension of fuel tax increase

French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe plans to announce a three-month suspension of fuel-tax increases to allow time for discussions on the way forward, a senior member of the governing Republique En Marche party said on Tuesday.

The decision is in response to nationwide "yellow vest" protests against the carbon-tax increases, with the next one scheduled to kick in from January.

The ruling party lawmaker said Philippe would also announce measures to soften planned increases in power and gas prices to lighten the burden on France's squeezed middle-class households.