Govt for extending state of emergency

PARIS: The French government will propose extending the state of emergency until July 15 2017 due to presidential and parliament elections in spring next year, Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said on Saturday.

The socialist government imposed the state of emergency, which gives police extended powers to search and arrest, in November 2015 following the attacks on Paris last year.

The extension needs to be approved by parliament, which will debate the proposal on Tuesday. The senate will review it on Thursday.