France to maintain state-of-emergency powers for another seven months

France's government announced Saturday that it had decided to extend the country’s state of emergency until the middle of July 2017. The emergency measures will thus be in effect during the upcoming presidential election and the July 14 observance of Bastille Day. Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said that the extension was “essential” as the threat of terror remains at a “high level”. The state of emergency provides security and law enforcement services with wider freedom of action to collect intelligence, locate evidence on suspects, carry out arrests and ban demonstrations and other gatherings.