French President Emmanuel Macron, under pressure after violent protests in France, acknowledged "failures in anticipation and intelligence", but refused the resignation of his interior minister, Laurent Nunez, the presidential palace said in a statement on Monday, October 19.

Axar.az reports, citing Le Monde, that some opposition politicians had called for the sacking of Nunez after demonstrations over the cost of living descended into some of the worst urban violence in France in years.

Nearly 2,400 people were arrested on Saturday, with almost 1,000 police and gendarmes injured, according to the interior ministry, as clashes between police and protesters, mass looting and fires erupted nationwide.

"The interior minister submitted his resignation to the president on Sunday," the Elysee palace said in a statement. "Given the necessity for continued leadership of law enforcement at this time, the president refused."