French President Emmanuel Macron, who is under pressure following a weekend of violent unrest in the country, admitted today that there were shortcomings in “forecasting and intelligence,” but did not accept the resignation of Interior Minister Laurent Nunes, the Élysée Palace announced.
“In order to put an end to the phenomenon of roadblocks and looting, (Macron) also asked the Minister of the Interior to implement new operational methods for internal security forces as soon as possible, with the aim of dealing with the rioters,” the French presidency added.
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The Macron administration is trying to address the outrage and concerns sparked by the way it has so far handled the protests over the cost of living, during which riots on an unprecedented scale on Saturday and are escalating into a political crisis.
On Saturday, nearly 2,400 people were arrested, while nearly 1,000 law enforcement officers were injured, according to authorities.
Many members of the opposition, mainly from the far right, called for Nuñez’s resignation yesterday, Sunday.
“The Minister of the Interior submitted his resignation to the President of the Republic on Sunday. Given the need for continuity in the leadership of law enforcement agencies under the current circumstances, the President of the Republic rejected it,” the Élysée Palace stated.
Macron “asked the Minister of the Interior to take all necessary measures to ensure transparency regarding the failures in forecasting and intelligence that led to the violence,” he added.
Nuñez is scheduled to travel to Marseille today, a city where particularly serious incidents occurred, with authorities reporting that there were as many as 30,000 rioters on Saturday.
Macron, whose unpopularity has reached record levels after 10 years in office, addressed the French people yesterday, Sunday evening to the French people without, however, announcing any specific measures, but stating that he feels “rage and shame.” “Those who sought to undermine the Republic will be held accountable,” he said.
Meanwhile, French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu convened an interministerial crisis management team this morning, which will focus on three areas: “economy and trade,” “insurance,” and “judicial oversight,” according to his office.
SEE ALSO: Macron’s Statement: Far-left and criminal elements behind the riots will be held accountable | AlphaNews
