Macron declines minister’s resignation after violent protests

Emmanuel Macron declined Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez’s resignation after nationwide demonstrations over education conditions and the cost of living escalated into riots and looting. The Elysee said Macron asked Nuñez to maintain the security forces’ chain of command, develop new ways to deal with looters, and ensure transparency about planning and intelligence failures. More than 2,300 people were arrested and nearly 1,000 police officers and gendarmes were injured on Saturday; one protester lost a hand when a crowd-control grenade exploded. More than half a million people joined the demonstrations, and Nuñez acknowledged that police had “lost control” in some cities.