France plans to extend the state of emergency in place since November's attacks on Paris for a further two months to ensure security at the Euro 2016 soccer tournament, prime minister Manuel Valls said on Wednesday, reports Reuters.
"Faced with an event 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," he said on France Info radio.
"The state of emergency cannot be permanent, but on the occasion of these big events... we have decided to prolong."
Euro 2016 starts June 10 and runs for a month. Some 2.5 million spectators are expected at 10 stadiums for 51 matches involving 24 teams at the tournament, which France is hosting. There will also be fan zones in other major cities.
The current state of emergency giving extra powers to police and security forces runs until May 26.
Valls said interior miinister Bernard Cazeneuve would propose the measure to other ministers later on Wednesday. It would then need to be voted in by Parliament.