French Parliament votes to extend state of emergency to May 26,2016 Tuesday February 16,2016

 

The French parliament has voted to extend the country's state of emergency, implemented after the November 13,2015 terrorist attacks, by a further three months to May 26,2016 as the Government warns the threat of an attack remains great.

Deputies of the National Assembly gave the green light by 212 votes to 31 with three abstentions.

The upper house Senate had already approved the extension by an overwhelming majority last Tuesday

Note

France declared a state of emergency after Jihadust Gunmen attacked several sites in Paris in Nivember 2015, killing 130 people and leaving hundreds wounded

Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said the threat of terrorism "has never been higher", stressing "an imminent danger has not gone away"

The exceptional measure allows Mr Cazeneuve to place under house arrest any person whose behaviour is considered "a threat to security and public order" and to order searches of homes at any hour without involving the court

Since November, around 3,340 searches have been conducted and 578 arms seized.

More than 340 people have been taken into custody and 285 house arrests are currently being enforced