Macron Rejects Minister's Resignation, Demands End to Riots in France
French President Emmanuel Macron rejected Interior Minister Laurent Nunez's resignation offer on Monday, instructing him instead to end barricades and looting while ensuring transparency over intelligence failures following weekend riots. The violence erupted as hundreds of thousands protested declining public services and cost-of-living pressures, with rioters hijacking demonstrations in Paris, Marseille, and Lyon. Macron urged Nunez to develop new concepts to address the unrest, while Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin cited underestimated "extreme-left" rioters. The turmoil pushed France's 10-year bond yield up 8 basis points to 4.86% and sent the CAC 40 down 1.3%, with bank shares falling around 2%. The crisis comes six months before presidential elections and amid pressures over a weak economy and surging debt.