The National Assembly during the night, voted on prolonging the state of emergency until 15 July with a large majority in favor. A decision motivated by the risk of a terrorist attack remains high while the presidential and legislative elections are scheduled in the spring.
Adopted by 288 votes against 32 and five abstentions, the extension of the state of emergency should be voted in line tomorrow, Thursday in the Senate to prevent automatic interruption of the state of emergency on the 22nd December, two weeks after the resignation of the government Valls.
The overwhelming part of the majority and the opposition voted for. Only MP’s of the Front de gauche and the environmentalists MPs voted against the decision.
“Terrorist Risk of an extremely high level”
France thus will have its longest period of uninterrupted emergency – 20 months – since the creation of this exceptional regime during the war of Algeria. The state of emergency is in effect entered into force after the events of November 13th, 2015 in Paris and Saint-Denis . Hardened by Parliament last year, the plan permits restrictions on residency, administrative searches, bans on parades, identity checks and searches of baggage and vehicles, meeting rooms closures …
The new Interior Minister Bruno Le Roux said in advance that “today weighs on France a terrorist threat of an extremely high level” . Since the last extension passed shortly after the bombing in Nice, “We beat no less than 13 attacks involving thirty individuals” , he pleaded.
With multiple public gatherings, the successor to Bernard Cazeneuve argued that “the intense election period we are entering further increases the risk of acting out terrorists” .
Some protesters
In this period, found the new president of the PS group Olivier Faure, “if the worst advenait after previous lifting of the state of emergency, it would necessarily be exploited by the far right to call for a regime change” .
Given the tight schedule, the LR group has not sought to toughen the text as in July and will reserve its amendments “to reset the Nation” , according to William Larrivé to the latest draft security law of the quinquennium changing the rules of legitimate defense for the security forces, which will be discussed in January.
A handful of deputies LR however, have not supported this extension, as Pierre Lellouche, for which “the state of emergency did not prevent attacks” .
The main challenge was from the Left Front MPs not registered environmentalists or former PS. The environmentalist Cécile Duflot lamented “a form of resignation and habit to discuss exceptional measures” , wondering “what government would dare to end this state of emergency” and in which “hands” it can fall.
Dans l’hemicycle pour l’examen de la loi de (5ème !) prorogation de l’état d’urgence. Je défendrai une motion de rejet préalable de ce texte
— Cécile Duflot (@CecileDuflot) December 13, 2016
“An emergency instrument”
“This regime must remain an emergency instrument. Our anti-terrorist arsenal is more than enough ” , added the Left Front André Chassaigne.
These members are based in particular on the opinion of the Council of State which, despite its green light to the bill, said that “sustainable or permanent threat must be treated within the framework of the rule of law, by permanent instruments of the fight against terrorism, such as those from legislation passed two years ” . Ex-Rapporteur of the post-2015 bombings investigation, Sébastien Pietrasanta (PS) expressed reservations. “Lifting the state of emergency is not a disarmament state facing terrorism” , which will be the “fight of at least a generation” , he began. The left radical Stéphane Saint-Andre, like others, wished that “this extension is the last” .
Record time
The only incident of the evening concerned the amendment by the bill to house arrest, so far not limited in time, which could lead to “an excessive period in relation to the freedom of movement of come “, according to the State Council.
In committee, MPs limited to maximum 12 months, with possible extension of three months by decision of the State Council.
In session, they are first revenue after a close vote on the initiative of William Larrivé (LR), the initial version of the government, which proposed to limit the assignment to “15 consecutive months in the absence of new elements ” . But the president of the Committee on Laws Dominique Raimbourg (PS) requested a second vote on the amendment calling into question “the ridge line between protecting freedom and effectiveness of emergency” and already “made the discussed with the Senate ” mostly right.
Mess and anger of the right, who shouted in the chamber “the denial of democracy” and “amateurism” of the minister, who had relied on the wisdom of the Assembly. The text is nevertheless returned to the version of the commission.
