French President Emmanuel Macron has declined an offer of resignation from Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez following a weekend of widespread riots and unrest that gripped cities across the nation. The rejection came despite acknowledged shortcomings in intelligence and anticipation that officials admitted exacerbated the crisis.
The Élysée Palace announced that Macron decided the interior minister should remain in his post to ensure continuity within the chain of command overseeing the police and security forces. Additionally, the president directed Nuñez to swiftly establish new operational strategies specifically aimed at addressing looters and restoring public order.
The weekend's demonstrations included some of the most violent clashes seen in years, resulting in burned public buildings, hundreds of destroyed and looted storefronts, and at least 2,400 arrests nationwide. During a television interview, Nuñez conceded that law enforcement officials had lost control in several urban centers as the protests escalated.
Addressing the nation in a televised broadcast, Macron strongly condemned the unbridled violence that had unfolded. Questioning how such destruction could occur, he emphasized the gravity of the civil unrest that prompted widespread condemnation and emergency responses from the government.