France plans on extending anti-riot powers
{{date|November 14, 2005}}

Despite a drop in violence in the country over the past weekend, the [[w:France|French]] cabinet has agreed to ask the parliament for a three-month extension to emergency powers. Ministers agreed on the extension at a meeting chaired by President [[w:Jacques Chirac|Jacques Chirac]], and a bill on that effect will be presented on Tuesday to the [[w:French National Assembly|National Assembly]] and on Wednesday to the [[w:French Senate|Senate]].

The police reported 284 vehicles being torched in [[w:Molotov cocktail|petrol bomb]] attacks on Sunday, the 18th consecutive night of [[w:2005 civil unrest in France|the riots]]. The number is lower than the previous night, when 374 cars were destroyed, and considerably below previous week's peak of 1,400.

Chirac, who has been criticized for keeping a low profile during the crisis, prepared to address the nation on Monday night in a television broadcast. Chirac was quoted by a government spokesman as saying that the emergency powers were "strictly temporary and will only be applied where they are strictly necessary."

In spite of all departmental prefects being authorised to impose [[w:Curfew|curfews]], in practice only few have. The extension of powers has drawn some criticism from local mayors who have deemed it an overreaction and potentially inflammatory. The pressure group [[w:SOS Racisme|SOS Racisme]] said that events had shown that the prefects already had enough powers.

Since the beginning of the unrest on October 27, more than 8,000 cars have been torched, more than 2,700 people arrested and dozens of buildings wrecked. According to [[w:José Manuel Durão Barroso|José Manuel Durão Barroso]], President of the [[w:European Commission|European Commission]], the [[w:European Union|European Union]] is prepared to release 50 million € in aid for damaged areas.

==Related news==

*{{wikinews|title=French police ban public meetings and increase security measures in Paris|date=November 13, 2005}}
*{{wikinews|title=France invokes emergency law in response to riots|date=November 9, 2005}}
*{{wikinews|title=First casualty of French riots reported|date=November 7, 2005}}

== Sources ==
*{{source|url=http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=worldNews&storyID=2005-11-13T150319Z_01_HAR953036_RTRUKOC_0_US-FRANCE-RIOTS.xml
|title=Drop in French violence fuels hopes
|author=Sophie Louet
|pub=Reuters
|date=November 13, 2005}}

*{{source|url=http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=worldNews&storyID=2005-11-14T125303Z_01_HAR953036_RTRUKOC_0_US-FRANCE-RIOTS.xml
|title=France to extend anti-riot powers by 3 months
|author=Jon Boyle
|pub=Reuters
|date=November 14, 2005}}

*{{source|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,13509-1871880,00.html
|title=France extends emergency powers to contain riots
|author=Philippe Naughton
|pub=Times Online
|date=November 14, 2005}}

{{Publish}}

{{archive}}
[[Category:France]]
[[Category:Europe]]
[[Category:Politics and conflicts]]
[[Category:Jacques Chirac]]
[[Category:European Commission]]
Despite a drop in violence in the country over the past weekend, the French cabinet has agreed to ask the parliament for a three-month extension to emergency powers. Ministers agreed on the extension at a meeting chaired by President Jacques Chirac, and a bill on that effect will be presented on Tuesday to the National Assembly and on Wednesday to the Senate.

The police reported 284 vehicles being torched in petrol bomb attacks on Sunday, the 18th consecutive night of the riots. The number is lower than the previous night, when 374 cars were destroyed, and considerably below previous week's peak of 1,400.

Chirac, who has been criticized for keeping a low profile during the crisis, prepared to address the nation on Monday night in a television broadcast. Chirac was quoted by a government spokesman as saying that the emergency powers were "strictly temporary and will only be applied where they are strictly necessary."

In spite of all departmental prefects being authorised to impose curfews, in practice only few have. The extension of powers has drawn some criticism from local mayors who have deemed it an overreaction and potentially inflammatory. The pressure group SOS Racisme said that events had shown that the prefects already had enough powers.

Since the beginning of the unrest on October 27, more than 8,000 cars have been torched, more than 2,700 people arrested and dozens of buildings wrecked. According to José Manuel Durão Barroso, President of the European Commission, the European Union is prepared to release 50 million € in aid for damaged areas.

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France Europe Politics and conflicts Jacques Chirac European Commission