The murder of a policewoman at Rambouillet, south west of Paris, on Friday April 23rd brought to 12 the number of members of the police and security forces who have been killed in terrorist attacks in France since 2015. Overall, attacks targeting police officers have grown in number over that period. This “French exception” is a phenomenon which has become more prevalent since the collapse of Islamic State's self-styled 'Caliphate' in the Middle East. Matthieu Suc reports.
The legislation, which inscribes into law tough security measures borrowed from the state of emergency powers introduced after the 2015 Paris terrorist attacks and due to end on November 1st, has been approved by the National Assembly, the lower house, before a final text is agreed with the upper house, the Senate, later this month.
Proposed legislation by France's new government to enshrine into regular law certain far-reaching powers allowed under the current state of emergency has passed its first parliamentary test after the Senate approved the bill by a two-thirds majority, meaning it will now go before the lower house, the National Assembly, where the government has a large majority, in October.
In an interview with the BBC, French Prime minister Manuel Valls has hinted that state of emergency powers, introduced after last year's Paris terrorist attacks, would be prolonged to next spring when the country holds presidential and parliamentary elections.
The fourth extension of state of emergency, first introduced after the November 13th terrorist attacks in Paris, prolongs the wide-ranging powers until January.
The fourth polongation of state of emergency likely to last until 2017, giving police sweeping powers for searches and facilitating house arrest orders.
Democracy belongs to neither the Left nor the Right, and when it is flouted by governments of either political side every democrat worthy of the name must simply say “no”, argues Mediapart editor-in-chief Edwy Plenel following the socialist government’s decision to force through parliament, without a vote, its controversial labour law reforms which, he writes in this op-ed, represent a social regression for every employee in France.
There have been claims of police brutality during some of the many protests that have taken place in France in recent weeks against labour law reforms. Yet the police have also been applauded by sections of the public for their role in dealing with terrorist attacks over the past year or so. Meanwhile police officers themselves increasingly resent being painted as defenders of unpopular policies such as the employment law proposals. Matthieu Suc reports on the evolving role of the forces of law and order.
