French lawmakers voted massively Wednesday to extend a state of emergency as President Francois Hollande said that a call to boost reserve forces had paved the way towards a "National Guard."
After seven hours of fraught debate into the night, during which the opposition accused the government of being lax on security, the lower house of parliament voted by 489 to 26 to prolong the state of emergency for a further six months.
It is the fourth time the measures have been extended since Islamic State jihadists struck Paris in November, killing 130 people at restaurants, a concert hall and the national stadium.
(AFP)