Euro 2016: France plans to extend controversial state of emergency through European Championships

Thousands of protesters have demonstrated against the measures in France

French Police standing guard outside the Stalingrad Paris Metro station (EPA)

France has called for a two-month extension of its state of emergency to cover the Uefa European Championship football tournament and the Tour de France.

The measure, which has already been lengthened after being implemented after the Paris attacks in which 130 people died, will require parliament's approval.

The Prime Minister, Manuel Valls, told France Info radio that the latest extension until the end of July will "allow a better response against the terrorist threat" during the Euro 2016 tournament, which takes place from 10 June to 10 July.

Protesters carry a banner reading: 'State of Emergency, NO to the decline' as thousands demonstrated in Paris on 30 January 2016. (EPA)

The current state of emergency was scheduled to end on 26 May. It expands police powers to carry out arrests and searches and allows authorities to forbid the movement of people and vehicles at specific times and places.

Authorities can also put people under house arrest without trial and block websites.

In February, the French parliament voted for controversial changes to its constitution to enshrine the controversial powers.

Politicians voted by 317 votes to 199 to give a new status to emergency security powers, after previously supporting stripping convicted extremists’ French citizenship by 162 votes to 148 against.

The issue has already revealed deep divisions in France’s governing Socialist party, seeing the resignation of Justice Minister Christiane Taubira over a now-dropped clause referring to dual-nationals born in France.

Despite the shock and mourning still resonating after November’s massacres, the measures have proved divisive in a nation that still centres itself around the values of “liberté, égalité, fraternité”.

Critics have also argued that the measures increase, rather than reduce, the alienation of young Muslims, undermining efforts to increase cohesion and fight radicalisation.

Protests against the state of emergency have seen thousands of demonstrators take to the streets with banners reading “stop the state of emergency” and “we will not give in”, while chanting against restrictions, police searches and Islamophobia.

The United Nations previously warned that France was imposing “excessive and disproportionate restrictions” on fundamental human rights.

France initially declared a state of emergency on 19 November, six days after the terror attacks carried out by Isis.