Macron sits down with unions to calm \'yellow vest\' clashes

After weeks of protests in France against his economic policies by the yellow vest movement, French President Emmanuel Macron sat down with trade unions, ministers and local politicians on Monday (December 10) - in a bid to calm tensions.

He's due to make a prime time address to the nation later - his first since the crisis over government cuts, tax hikes and the cost of living erupted.

Major monuments and tourist sites were closed at the weekend as protesters again brought havoc to Paris - throwing stones, torching cars and attacking shops.

Authorities say more than 1,700 protesters were arrested, and more than a hundred remain in custody.

Macron's government has warned the yellow vest movement against unrealistic expectations - despite the high stakes.

The month of protests is already estimated to have caused a 0.1 percentage point drop in France's economic growth for its final quarter.

The president who came to power on a reforming ticket has had a turbulent 18 months in office.

Though he's scrapped fuel tax hikes set for the new year - and the initial spur for the protests - that's done little to settle the wider and more deep-seated unrest across France.