French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu delivers a speech during debate before votes on two no-confidence motions against the French government tabled by members of parliament of La France Insoumise (France Unbowed – LFI) and the Rassemblement National (National Rally – RN), two days after the French Prime Minister’s general policy speech, during a public session at the National Assembly in Paris, France, October 16, 2025. REUTERS
French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has asked regional authorities to impose “partial curfews” in some cities on Monday evening as France reels from two days of unrest that saw town halls burned down and hundreds of businesses looted.
Interior Minister Laurent Nunez earlier admitted that police had “lost control” of the protests in several cities, while the Yellow Vest movement called for a new round of protests on Saturday.
Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron rejected the resignation of Interior Minister Nunez following widespread violence and looting across the country during last weekend’s protests, according to broadcaster BFMTV.
Nunez submitted his resignation to Macron a day earlier amid mounting criticism over the authorities’ handling of the unrest. “I am the minister of the interior, I am responsible for everything that happens on the ground,” he told France Inter radio, explaining his decision to resign.
Nunez acknowledged a “loss of control” by police in some cities and admitted there had been a “lack of anticipation” in deploying available security forces.
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However, the president decided to keep him in office, citing the need for continuity in the command of security forces during the current crisis, according to a statement from the Elysee Palace.
Macron also called for greater transparency over what he described as “failures in anticipation and intelligence” that contributed to the scale of the violence.
The unrest, which erupted during demonstrations on Saturday, left nearly 1,000 law enforcement officers injured and resulted in approximately 2,400 arrests, according to official figures.
The government’s response has faced criticism from several local leaders, including the mayors of Paris, Marseille and Limoges.
Nunez is expected to visit Marseille, one of the cities hardest hit by the violence, where authorities reported that up to 30,000 people were involved in looting on Saturday.
Students block access to Louvre Museum in support of high school protests
Students blocked access to the Louvre Museum in Paris on Monday in support of ongoing high school protests and to denounce what they described as police repression, the French media reported.
The blockade prevented the museum from opening at its usual time of 9am, according to management and unions cited by the daily Le Parisien.
Students from the École du Louvre led the action, while the CFDT trade union said students from the National School of Fine Arts also participated.
Museum management said the protest had no direct connection to the Louvre itself, describing the museum as being used “as an echo chamber.”
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The CGT trade union, which supported the action without participating, said the museum would remain closed at least until noon.
Protesters placed the blockade within a broader struggle for the right to study, work and live freely in decent conditions.
The action follows a high school protest movement that began in mid-September. It also comes two days after nationwide demonstrations against the high cost of living that were marred by unrest in several French cities.
The Ecole du Louvre, located within the museum grounds, offers higher education courses in subjects including art history, archaeology, anthropology and museology.
