France: Emmanuel Macron slams 'failures' over protest unrest

But France's president has refused his interior minister Laurent Nunez's resignation after nationwide protests turned violent over the weekend.

France's President Emmanuel Macron has condemned the "failures in anticipation and intelligence" by French authorities, the Elysee Palace said Monday, after nationwide cost-of-living protests were marred by violence.

Despite the failures, Macron has refused the resignation of Interior Minister Laurent Nunez, the presidential palace added.

Macron and his government are under pressure from opposition politicians, who have called for Nunez to be removed, after mass rallies on Saturday over the rising cost of living and high fuel costs turned violent.

In some of the worst urban violence France has seen in years, nearly 2,400 people were arrested, while almost 1,000 police and gendarmes (French armed police) were injured, the Interior Ministry said Sunday.

This is a developing story, more to follow...