Macron Keeps Interior Minister in Office After Nationwide Riots
(MENAFN) French President Emmanuel Macron has refused to accept Interior Minister Laurent Nunez’s resignation following widespread violence and looting during protests across France last weekend.
Nunez offered to step down on Sunday as criticism mounted over the authorities’ handling of the unrest. Explaining his decision, he told France Inter radio: "I am the minister of the interior, I am responsible for everything that happens on the ground,"
The interior minister acknowledged that police had experienced a "loss of control" in several cities and conceded there had been a "lack of anticipation" in the deployment of available security personnel.
Macron nevertheless decided to retain Nunez, with the presidency citing the importance of maintaining continuity in the leadership of security forces while the crisis continues.
The French president also demanded greater transparency regarding what he described as "failures in anticipation and intelligence" that contributed to the severity of the violence.
The unrest broke out during demonstrations on Saturday, leaving nearly 1,000 law enforcement officers injured and resulting in around 2,400 arrests, according to official figures.
The government’s handling of the situation has drawn criticism from local officials, including the mayors of Paris, Marseille and Limoges, as authorities face scrutiny over their response to the widespread disorder.
Nunez is expected to travel to Marseille, among the cities most severely affected by the violence. Authorities there reported that as many as 30,000 people were involved in looting on Saturday.
Nunez offered to step down on Sunday as criticism mounted over the authorities’ handling of the unrest. Explaining his decision, he told France Inter radio: "I am the minister of the interior, I am responsible for everything that happens on the ground,"
The interior minister acknowledged that police had experienced a "loss of control" in several cities and conceded there had been a "lack of anticipation" in the deployment of available security personnel.
Macron nevertheless decided to retain Nunez, with the presidency citing the importance of maintaining continuity in the leadership of security forces while the crisis continues.
The French president also demanded greater transparency regarding what he described as "failures in anticipation and intelligence" that contributed to the severity of the violence.
The unrest broke out during demonstrations on Saturday, leaving nearly 1,000 law enforcement officers injured and resulting in around 2,400 arrests, according to official figures.
The government’s handling of the situation has drawn criticism from local officials, including the mayors of Paris, Marseille and Limoges, as authorities face scrutiny over their response to the widespread disorder.
Nunez is expected to travel to Marseille, among the cities most severely affected by the violence. Authorities there reported that as many as 30,000 people were involved in looting on Saturday.
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