Diesel Shock: Why France Can't Escape Soaring Fuel Prices

A sharp rise in diesel prices is hitting French drivers especially hard. This is due to a decades-old national policy. In the 1970s and 80s, French economic rules strongly encouraged diesel car use. This made France one of the most diesel-dependent countries in the West. Now, a new problem exists. France refines much less diesel fuel domestically than it once did. This means the country must import more. As global prices jump, this reliance on foreign diesel leads to even steeper price spikes at the pump. The increases are more severe than for gasoline. The result is a perfect storm: drivers are locked into diesel vehicles, but must pay rapidly rising costs for the fuel.