The average price of a liter of diesel at service stations in France now exceeds €2.20. This is an increase of 8 cents in a week and nearly 50 cents since the start of the conflict in the Middle East.
This rise in diesel prices is putting pressure on the government to strengthen aid in response to the soaring fuel prices. According to the latest weekly data published by the Ministry of Ecological Transition on Monday, pump prices in France have risen again. This marks the fifth consecutive week of price increases, bringing diesel to a price never seen before since the data began in 1985.
The average price of a liter of diesel, the most consumed fuel in France (about 68% market share), now exceeds €2.20. Last week, it increased by another 8 cents. Since the start of the conflict in the Middle East at the end of February, it has soared by about 50 cents. As for gasoline, the unleaded 95-E10 now exceeds €2 per liter, up by about 3 cents last week. Since the first Israeli-American strikes on Iran, it has increased by around 26 cents per liter, which is half the increase of diesel.
This difference is explained by the greater European dependence on imports, particularly diesel from the Middle East. Additionally, the lower diesel taxation compared to gasoline – with taxes representing less than 45% of diesel prices compared to over 50% for gasoline – makes diesel more directly linked to oil prices, as explained by Patrice Geoffron, director of the Center for Geopolitics of Energy and Raw Materials (CGEMP) at Paris-Dauphine University.
The Strait of Hormuz remains blocked, causing a continuous rise in fuel prices due to soaring oil prices. Last week, the price of a Brent barrel from the North Sea, a global benchmark for this market, increased by over $2 to reach $110, compared to around $70 before the beginning of the war in the Middle East. On Monday, it continued to rise and was trading at around $115.
Despite the rise in fuel prices, the government refuses to implement general support measures for fuels, ruling out tax cuts or price caps – measures adopted by some neighboring countries. “The checkbook, in general, cannot be used for all our citizens,” warned Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot on Europe 1.
The government announced targeted aid for sectors most affected by the soaring fuel prices on Friday, including road transport, agriculture, and fishing. However, professionals find these measures inadequate. To express their anger, road transporters staged actions last weekend, including a go-slow operation on the Paris ring road on Monday morning, with more actions planned in the coming days in different parts of France, including the Marne on Tuesday.
