French President Emmanuel Macron refuses Interior Minister Laurent Nunez’s resignation after violent nationwide protests over the cost of living. Elysee palace statements say Nunez submits his resignation to Macron on Sunday, October 18, but Macron declines to accept it.

Macron says he acknowledges “failures in anticipation and intelligence” related to the unrest and orders Nunez to respond. According to multiple outlets, Macron instructs the interior minister to ensure transparency about the planning and intelligence shortcomings and to implement new operational methods for security forces.

Opposition politicians had urged Nunez to be dismissed after demonstrations escalated into some of France’s worst urban violence in years. Reporting based on the interior ministry says nearly 2,400 people are arrested and close to 1,000 police and gendarmes are injured, alongside clashes between police and protesters and incidents including looting and fires. Other outlets highlight that Macron’s refusal is framed as maintaining leadership for law enforcement during the crisis while addressing the stated operational failures.