France considers extending state of emergency

PARLIAMENT yesterday began debating a three-month extension of France’s state-of-emergency measures after a 19th straight night of unrest.

On Monday, President Jacques Chirac’s cabinet decided to ask parliament to extend a state of emergency declared on November 9 to quell France’s worst unrest in decades. The National Assembly was expected to approve the extension last night and the measure goes before the Senate today.

Police Chief Michel Gaudin said vandals torched 215 vehicles overnight, continuing a steady decline that showed France was “getting back to normal”.

The crisis has led to collective soul-searching about France’s failure to integrate its minorities.

In all, 8,500 vehicles have been torched, 125 police officers injured, 2,800 arrested and 600 jailed, Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin told parliament.