French President Emmanuel Macron attends a press conference at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, June 12, 2017. REUTERS/Philippe Wojazer

PARIS (Reuters) - French President Emmanuel Macron told the president of the European Court of Human Rights on Tuesday that anti-terrorism legislation that he plans to pass this year would respect the rule of law and freedom of speech.

French magistrates and human rights groups have protested in recent weeks against Macron’s proposal to enshrine in ordinary law some measures currently in place under a state of emergency.

The police were given wider search and arrest powers after Islamist gunmen and suicide bombers killed 130 people in and around Paris in November 2015.

Macron said last month his government would ask parliament to extend the emergency powers by several months while new legislation was being worked out.

On Tuesday, Macron told Guido Raimondi, the president of the Strasbourg-based court, that France wanted to lift the state of emergency, which he said was not effective enough.

“The president said the work to adapt our legislation to the challenge terrorism poses to our democratic society would be carried out in full compliance with the principles defended by the court,” Macron’s office said in a statement.