French President Emmanuel Macron has rejected Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez’s resignation following violent unrest during nationwide protests over the rising cost of living, while acknowledging failures in anticipating the violence and gathering intelligence.

Agence France-Presse (AFP) quoted a source at the Élysée Palace as saying Nuñez submitted his resignation on Sunday, but Macron rejected it, citing the need to maintain continuity in the command of security forces amid the current situation.

The source said Macron had tasked the minister with taking all necessary measures to transparently identify the failures in anticipating events and gathering intelligence that contributed to the violence. He also called for new operational methods for security forces on the ground to be introduced as soon as possible to deal with rioters.

Nuñez, who has held the post for about a year, acknowledged that police had “lost control” in some cities during the unrest and that preparations had revealed gaps in anticipating events. He said he had offered to resign because he felt responsible for what had happened.

The minister also said 350 people had been arrested in Paris on Sunday and overnight in connection with the violence.

French authorities are seeking to contain public anger and address criticism of their handling of the protests, which escalated into widespread clashes, looting and damage to property. Saturday’s unrest resulted in around 2,400 arrests nationwide and left nearly 1,000 security personnel injured, according to official figures.

The government is now under pressure to explain the security failures and improve its response while addressing public concerns over the rising cost of living.