French government crisis talks after 'colossal failure of the state'

The French government held crisis talks on Sunday after a day of violent unrest across the country left public buildings burned, hundreds of shops looted, and more than 2,000 people arrested, prompting calls for the interior minister's resignation. The violence, which struck cities including Paris, Bordeaux, Nice, and Marseille, occurred separately from peaceful protests over school funding and the cost of living. Masked looters exploited the chaos, while officials reported running out of ammunition and described the events as a "colossal failure of the state." President Emmanuel Macron, who steps down next spring, prepared to address the nation, blaming "ultra-left" groups for the violence. Opposition politicians questioned policing tactics and intelligence failures, as traders' unions estimated damages in the tens of millions of euros.