President Emmanuel Macron of France on Tuesday caved in to demands by angry “yellow vest” protesters by suspending fuel tax hikes in an attempt to quell fresh violent demonstrations.

With pressure mounting avoid a re-run of the violence next Saturday, Edouard Philippe, the prime minister, announced a string of conciliatory measures just days after the president insisted he would not change course.

“A tax must not endanger the unity of a nation,” Mr Philippe told MPs.

Planned increases in fuel taxes will be suspended for six months, as will stricter pollution tests on cars - intended as an incentive for drivers to move to cleaner vehicles.

Increases in electricity and gas prices will also be frozen over the winter.

The measures come a week after a first package of €500-million in sweeteners for poorer households had failed to stave off last weekend’s protests.

The CFDT union welcomed the measures, calling for wage negotiations and insisting that green transition must not be abandoned in France.