The French Government will reinforce the police with military units and carry out a large-scale security operation in light of the new protests scheduled for Saturday.
The authorities have also acknowledged that they made mistakes during last weekend’s unrest.
“A massive police presence will be deployed next Saturday,” said Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu, addressing outraged MPs in parliament.
He added that the main priority was to restore order following the riots and looting that swept through Paris, Marseille, Lyon and other cities on 17 October.
According to Reuters, during the debate, Interior Minister Laurent Nunes stated that the army would be called in to assist the police. The government also promised to review its tactics following widespread criticism: city centres, as critics pointed out, had not been adequately protected.
Earlier, Núñez had tendered his resignation, admitting that the police had ‘lost control’ during the riots. Macron rejected his resignation.
Speaking in parliament, Lecornu blamed the unrest on far-left groups. They, in turn, accused the government of underestimating public discontent caused by the high cost of living and the deterioration in the quality of public services.
Following the introduction of a partial curfew in several cities affected by the unrest, the night in France passed relatively calmly, according to Reuters. Government officials believe these measures helped to restore control. The police reported that the restrictions, which in some cases apply to children and teenagers under the age of 18, have been extended through to Wednesday night.