Paris- French lawmakers approved a six-month rollover of emergency rule on Wednesday in the wake of last week’s truck attack on the city of Nice, the third deadly assault in 18 months for which the Islamic State militant group has claimed responsibility.
The extension of extra search-and-arrest powers for police was approved by 489 votes to 26 shortly before dawn in France’s National Assembly, the lower house of parliament.
Prime Minister Manuel Valls called for national unity as he presented the emergency rule bill overnight.
“We must remain united and focused because we must be strong in the face of this threat,”
The emergency regime, due to be examined by the upper house Senate later on Wednesday before becoming law, allows police to search homes and arrest people without prior consent from judges. It also allows them to tap computer and phone communications more freely.
Emergency rule has been in place since the attacks on Paris last November in which militants killed 130 people.

Source: Reuters, 20 July 2016