Emmanuel Macron rejects interior minister resignation after French riots

French President Emmanuel Macron has rejected the resignation of Interior Minister Laurent Nunez following a weekend of widespread unrest, France 24 reported on Monday. Macron criticized security failures that led to violent protests across the country. France 24 stated that at least 2,400 people were arrested after town halls were burned down and hundreds of businesses were looted or damaged, while Fox News reported that nearly 1,800 people had been arrested. [1][3]

In a televised address from the Élysée Palace, Macron called for calm and promised that looters and violent individuals would be held accountable, UPI reported. According to UPI, Macron said the country was angry and ashamed because the legitimate demands of student protesters were being hijacked by rioters. The Daily Mail reported that up to 500,000 protesters took part in the weekend demonstrations across France. [2][5]

The French president faced criticism over his decision to attend a Celine Dion concert with his wife, Brigitte, on Friday night at the Plenitude Arena in Nanterre on the eve of the violence, Fox News reported. As FTMQ News reported earlier, demonstrations against rising living costs and inflation had previously drawn hundreds of thousands of protesters and led to widespread arrests across French cities. [3][13][14]

Political tension has risen ahead of the upcoming presidential election, France 24 reported. Marine Le Pen, the far-right leader and presidential candidate, criticized Macron's centrist government as exhausted and incapable. Macron, who has served as President of France since 2017, now faces political pressure from opposing parties following the destruction. [1][11]