Paris: President Francois Hollande has announced that the French government will ask parliament to approve a three-month renewal of the state of emergency put into place after the November 13 Paris attacks that killed 130 people.
It would be the second time the measure has been prolonged.
The president's office said on Friday that Hollande cited "the terrorist threat" in asking the government to present a bill at the February 3 Cabinet meeting seeking a three-month extension of the state of emergency. The current state of emergency is to expire at the end of February.
A state of emergency gives special powers to authorities, making it easier to place people under house arrest and conduct searches. Critics contend the measure impinges on personal freedoms to little effect.
