French minister admits losing control of some cities as violent protests spread

French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez admitted the government "lost control" in some cities during violent weekend protests and submitted his resignation, which President Emmanuel Macron rejected on Monday. Nuñez acknowledged security forces were overwhelmed, citing 500,000 protesters versus the 200,000 anticipated, and blamed the radical left party La France Insoumise for insufficiently condemning violence. Macron instead demanded new intervention measures against vandals and criticized intelligence failures. The unrest, sparked by cost-of-living concerns and poor public services, saw buildings torched, shops looted, and police attacked nationwide. With presidential elections six months away, far-right leader Marine Le Pen called it a "deep crisis of trust," while President Trump commented that "France is burning."