Update: France launches crisis talks as questions grow over riot response

France's government is now facing growing pressure to explain how widespread looting and violence unfolded over the weekend. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has begun a crisis cabinet meeting, while President Emmanuel Macron has rejected Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez's attempt to resign and asked him to focus on public safety and bringing those responsible to justice.

Nuñez said officials had expected around 200,000 demonstrators, but more than 550,000 people were estimated to have gathered nationwide. He acknowledged that the security measures planned for the protests were not adequate for the scale of events.

Local authorities are also demanding answers. The mayors of Paris, Marseille and Lyon have called for an independent inquiry into the police response, including reports that looting continued for extended periods without intervention. Marseille has temporarily banned public gatherings and demonstrations from noon to 20:00 on Monday.

The damage is also becoming clearer. In Limoges, a fire believed to have been started deliberately left the historic town hall largely destroyed, and its clock tower spire collapsed. Officials are still assessing the building's structural safety. Meanwhile, student protesters have blocked access to the Louvre museum in Paris, turning attention back to concerns about public services and education.

These developments show that the immediate challenge is not only restoring order but also explaining what went wrong and addressing the concerns behind the demonstrations. They do not, by themselves, establish that France as a whole is beyond the authorities' control.