Macron rejects French interior minister's resignation after riots

French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday rejected the resignation of Interior Minister Laurent Nunez following widespread violence and looting across the country during weekend protests, citing the need for continuity in security command during the ongoing crisis, according to broadcaster BFMTV. Nunez had submitted his resignation on Sunday amid mounting criticism over the authorities' handling of the unrest.

Minister accepts responsibility

Nunez acknowledged a "loss of control" by police in several cities and admitted there had been a "lack of anticipation" in deploying available security forces. "I am the minister of the interior, I am responsible for everything that happens on the ground," he told France Inter radio, explaining his decision to offer his resignation.

President vows accountability

Macron decided to keep Nunez in office despite the offer, calling for greater transparency over what he described as "failures in anticipation and intelligence" that contributed to the scale of the violence. In a televised address on Sunday evening, Macron vowed that those responsible for the destruction would be held accountable. "Those who sought to bring down the republic will be held accountable," he said, adding that the country felt "anger and shame" over the violence.

Economic toll mounts

The unrest, which erupted during demonstrations on Saturday, left nearly 1,000 law enforcement officers injured and resulted in approximately 2,400 arrests, according to official figures. Local leaders including the mayors of Paris, Marseille and Limoges have criticized the government's response, while Nunez is expected to visit Marseille, where authorities reported that up to 30,000 people were involved in looting on Saturday. Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu is due to chair an interministerial crisis meeting on Monday morning to assess the economic impact, with the Federation of Commerce and Distribution reporting that around 1,500 businesses were targeted and losses amounting to several hundred million euros.