Staying in Europe, French President Emmanuel Macron has announced a raise in the country's minimum wage, and the elimination of taxes on overtime. This came in a much-awaited speech aimed at addressing the so-called 'yellow vest' protest movement. The government has been struggling to contain wide-spread demonstrations, since they began on Paris streets a month ago. CGTN's Elena Casas reports from the French capital.

A new tone from French President Emmanuel Macron. Sounding humbled and apologetic, he told France he knows he's made mistakes.

EMMANUEL MACRON FRENCH PRESIDENT "I understand there's a genuine anger. We didn't respond quickly enough. I take responsibility for that and for offending some of you with my remarks."

Recognizing his government's been seen as dictating from Paris, he promised to visit mayors across France.

He announced the minimum wage will be going up 100 euros a month starting in January. Taxes on overtime hours will be scrapped and low income pensioners will get a tax break.

But he defended his controversial decision to end a tax on wealth - insisting the cut creates jobs.

EMMANUEL MACRON FRENCH PRESIDENT "We will respond to the economic and social urgency with strong measures, by cutting taxes more rapidly, by keeping our spending under control, but not with U-turns."

The president is looking for ways to end weeks of demonstrations that have already hit the country's economy.

ELENA CASAS PARIS "Businesses are counting the costs of another weekend of violent protests. The Bank of France revised its growth forecast down on Monday, increasing the pressure on the president."

On what should have been the busiest shopping weekends of the year in the run-up to Christmas, the French retail association says shops saw a 17 percent drop in foot traffic. Shopkeepers are running out of patience.

YANN BOISSART WINE SHOP MANAGER "It's intolerable, it's unacceptable to have this degree of violence at protests, and what's really a shame is that some people are taking advantage of the protests to loot shops because the police are busy elsewhere and can't intervene."

The protesters say this government and previous leaders have ignored the everyday concerns of low income people for decades.

ISABELLE COUTANT SOCIOLOGIST "People are expressing that they don't feel represented at all, they're showing a lot of defiance towards political parties in general, and this isn't a new feeling."

The question now is whether this will be enough to make them feel listened to, or whether a crack has opened in French society that President Macron will be hard pushed to repair. Elena Casas, CGTN, Paris.