Permanent State of Emergency? France Seeks Alarming Expanse of Police Powers
Debate to see state of emergency enshrined in the nation's constitution will begin early next month
Citing last year's Paris attacks as justification, the French government is seeking to expand police powers permanently--relaxing rules around the firing of weapons, enabling nighttime raids, and loosening restrictions on searching and detaining suspected terrorists, according to a draft bill seen by the newspaper Le Monde.
Politico Europe reported Tuesday that the draft, sent to the French Supreme Court for review in December, lays out plans to "perennially strengthen the tools and resources at the disposal of administrative and judicial authorities, outside the temporary legal framework implemented under the state of emergency."
In November, the French Parliament voted overwhelmingly to extend the state of emergency through the end of February and to increase certain powers including allowing the government to impose a house arrest as long as it has "serious reason to think that the person's conduct threatens security or the public order."
In December, the French cabinet backed reform proposals that could see that state of emergency enshrined in the nation's constitution.
Agence France-Presse reported at the time:
Special policing powers used under the state of emergency--such as house arrests and the right to raid houses without clearance by a judge--are currently based on an ordinary law which can be challenged at the constitutional court.
In the wake of the Paris attacks that left 130 dead, President Francois Hollande called for the emergency powers to be protected from litigation by placing them in the constitution.
The constitutional reforms--which are outlined in the draft bill leaked by Le Monde--must now be passed by a three-fifths majority in the upper and lower houses of Parliament, where debates will start on February 3.
"The new bill is likely to stoke a debate about respect for civil liberties in France under the state of emergency," Politico Europe wrote, with civil society groups warning that the proposals would put many people at even greater risk of human rights violations.
Indeed, as John Dalhuisen, Amnesty International's director of Europe and Central Asia declared in November: "Time and again we have seen emergency measures extended and codified until they become part and parcel of the ordinary law, chipping steadily away at human rights. In the long run, the pernicious ideology underpinning the Paris attacks can only be defeated by upholding the foundational values of the French Republic."
Meanwhile, the New York Times editorial board on Tuesday urged the French Parliament to reject "these unnecessary and divisive constitutional changes. The push to diminish civil liberties and end judicial oversight will only magnify the potential for the abuse of power, without making the public safer."
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. In a few short weeks, US voters will have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. Our Fall Campaign is underway, and we need your help. To power our newsroom through the rest of the year, we need to raise $125,000 by midnight on October 31. So if you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
Citing last year's Paris attacks as justification, the French government is seeking to expand police powers permanently--relaxing rules around the firing of weapons, enabling nighttime raids, and loosening restrictions on searching and detaining suspected terrorists, according to a draft bill seen by the newspaper Le Monde.
Politico Europe reported Tuesday that the draft, sent to the French Supreme Court for review in December, lays out plans to "perennially strengthen the tools and resources at the disposal of administrative and judicial authorities, outside the temporary legal framework implemented under the state of emergency."
In November, the French Parliament voted overwhelmingly to extend the state of emergency through the end of February and to increase certain powers including allowing the government to impose a house arrest as long as it has "serious reason to think that the person's conduct threatens security or the public order."
In December, the French cabinet backed reform proposals that could see that state of emergency enshrined in the nation's constitution.
Agence France-Presse reported at the time:
Special policing powers used under the state of emergency--such as house arrests and the right to raid houses without clearance by a judge--are currently based on an ordinary law which can be challenged at the constitutional court.
In the wake of the Paris attacks that left 130 dead, President Francois Hollande called for the emergency powers to be protected from litigation by placing them in the constitution.
The constitutional reforms--which are outlined in the draft bill leaked by Le Monde--must now be passed by a three-fifths majority in the upper and lower houses of Parliament, where debates will start on February 3.
"The new bill is likely to stoke a debate about respect for civil liberties in France under the state of emergency," Politico Europe wrote, with civil society groups warning that the proposals would put many people at even greater risk of human rights violations.
Indeed, as John Dalhuisen, Amnesty International's director of Europe and Central Asia declared in November: "Time and again we have seen emergency measures extended and codified until they become part and parcel of the ordinary law, chipping steadily away at human rights. In the long run, the pernicious ideology underpinning the Paris attacks can only be defeated by upholding the foundational values of the French Republic."
Meanwhile, the New York Times editorial board on Tuesday urged the French Parliament to reject "these unnecessary and divisive constitutional changes. The push to diminish civil liberties and end judicial oversight will only magnify the potential for the abuse of power, without making the public safer."
Citing last year's Paris attacks as justification, the French government is seeking to expand police powers permanently--relaxing rules around the firing of weapons, enabling nighttime raids, and loosening restrictions on searching and detaining suspected terrorists, according to a draft bill seen by the newspaper Le Monde.
Politico Europe reported Tuesday that the draft, sent to the French Supreme Court for review in December, lays out plans to "perennially strengthen the tools and resources at the disposal of administrative and judicial authorities, outside the temporary legal framework implemented under the state of emergency."
In November, the French Parliament voted overwhelmingly to extend the state of emergency through the end of February and to increase certain powers including allowing the government to impose a house arrest as long as it has "serious reason to think that the person's conduct threatens security or the public order."
In December, the French cabinet backed reform proposals that could see that state of emergency enshrined in the nation's constitution.
Agence France-Presse reported at the time:
Special policing powers used under the state of emergency--such as house arrests and the right to raid houses without clearance by a judge--are currently based on an ordinary law which can be challenged at the constitutional court.
In the wake of the Paris attacks that left 130 dead, President Francois Hollande called for the emergency powers to be protected from litigation by placing them in the constitution.
The constitutional reforms--which are outlined in the draft bill leaked by Le Monde--must now be passed by a three-fifths majority in the upper and lower houses of Parliament, where debates will start on February 3.
"The new bill is likely to stoke a debate about respect for civil liberties in France under the state of emergency," Politico Europe wrote, with civil society groups warning that the proposals would put many people at even greater risk of human rights violations.
Indeed, as John Dalhuisen, Amnesty International's director of Europe and Central Asia declared in November: "Time and again we have seen emergency measures extended and codified until they become part and parcel of the ordinary law, chipping steadily away at human rights. In the long run, the pernicious ideology underpinning the Paris attacks can only be defeated by upholding the foundational values of the French Republic."
Meanwhile, the New York Times editorial board on Tuesday urged the French Parliament to reject "these unnecessary and divisive constitutional changes. The push to diminish civil liberties and end judicial oversight will only magnify the potential for the abuse of power, without making the public safer."