AFP (file photo) | France's state of emergency has been extended until the end of July

The French parliament extended the country’s post-attacks state of emergency to the end of July on Tuesday in order to cover this summer's Euro 2016 football tournament and the Tour de France cycling race.

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It is the third time the state of emergency has been extended since the November 13 jihadist attacks on Paris.

Prime Minister Manuel Valls had said in April he would seek parliament’s approval for a further extension in order to ensure security at what will be two high-profile sporting events.

“Faced with events this big... which must take place in conditions of security and which at the same time should be a celebration.... we have to ensure security,” the prime minister said at the time.

“The state of emergency cannot be permanent but on the occasion of these big events... we have decided to prolong [it].”

Under a state of emergency the interior minister has the power to place under house arrest any person whose behaviour is considered "a threat to security and public order" and to order searches of homes at any hour without involving the court.

The current state of emergency, already extended by three months in February, had been set to expire on May 26.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP)

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