[uecker]

I don't think so. As a contributor to GCC, I also wished it hadn't.

[Pay08]

Why do you think so?

[uecker]

For two reasons: First, where C++ features are used, it make the code harder to understand rather than easier. Second, it requires newer and more complex toolchains to build GCC itself. Some people still maintain the last C version of GCC just to keep the bootstrap path open.