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Refused 🙅‍♂️

Macron refuses minister's resignation after riots

Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez offered to resign on Sunday after admitting his forces lost control of several cities during a night of looting. President Emmanuel Macron refused the offer, as the government faces mounting questions regarding why police focused on protecting the Élysée Palace while 2,000 businesses were ransacked and upscale neighborhoods were overrun.

The government now faces the familiar charge of failing to learn from the Yellow Vests era. Critics attribute the security failure to a lack of anticipation that left overstretched police officers to be attacked in Marseille while residents in the capital were left largely to their own devices.

The unrest has moved from the streets to the ledger. The Paris Stock Exchange opened lower as the scale of the destruction became clear; the cost of the weekend now includes thousands of damaged storefronts and a sense that domestic stability has become as fragile as the glass in the shop windows.

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Interior Minister's Resignation Offer and Government Accountability

Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez, who has served as Minister of the Interior since October 12, 2025, offered his resignation to President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday following the widespread violence and looting, but the President refused it. Nuñez admitted a 'loss of control' in some cities, leading to scrutiny over the government's handling of public order. The security failures are attributed to poor anticipation and overstretched forces.

Widespread Looting and Destruction Continues

Paris experienced a second night of intense looting and destruction, with residential buildings besieged and police equipment stolen. Thousands of demonstrators targeted upscale neighborhoods, and the city center of Marseille also saw significant violence, ransacked businesses, and public property set ablaze. Over 2,000 businesses nationwide were damaged during the weekend's unrest.

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