French gas price curbs should be extended until year-end, Macron tells voters

PARIS - French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday said state-imposed curbs on gas prices should be extended beyond June, preferably until the end of the year, to respond to price surges linked to the war in Ukraine.

"And with regards to gas in particular, we will go beyond June, we need to go until the end of the year", Macron said at a campaign event.

He added that Europe next winter will be "even harder" should Russia decide to cut off the European Union from gas supplies in retaliation for European sanctions.

Macron did not mention new western sanctions against Russia covering gas -- a measure suggested by some western governments like Britain, but rejected by others, namely Germany.