The French parliament has extended the country’s state of emergency to the end of July on Tuesday in order to cover this summer’s Euro 2016 finals and the annual Tour de France cycling race.
It is the third time the state of emergency has been extended since the November 13 jihadist attacks on Paris.
Prime Minister Manuel Valls had said in April he would seek parliament’s approval for a further extension in order to enhance security at what will be high profile global sporting events.
“Faced with events this big… which must take place in conditions of security and which at the same time should be a celebration…. we have to ensure security,” the prime minister said at the time.
“The state of emergency cannot be permanent but on the occasion of these big events… we have decided to prolong [it].”
Valls had earlier said there was no question of cancelling the tournament, which is expected to draw two million fans to the country between June 10 and July 10.
Under a state of emergency the interior minister has the power 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.
“Giving up on sporting events and cultural events is precisely to give in to the terrorist threat,” Valls told French radio.
The current state of emergency, already extended by three months in February, had been set to expire on May 26.
“The terrorist threat remains at a high level and France, like the EU, is a target,” said Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve.
