[ad_1]
Sunday October 25, 2020
The situation with French neighbors is increasingly dramatic: the number of new corona cases has once again exceeded the previous maximum. Meanwhile, the parliament is backing the government on a controversial bill.
New negative record in France: There, health authorities recorded 45,422 new corona infections in 24 hours on Saturday. Another 138 corona patients have died, the total number of deaths now standing at 34,645, according to Paris. Almost 2,500 infected people are in the intensive care unit. France became the second EU country after Spain to cross the threshold of one million corona infections on Friday. Around 67 million people live in France.
In view of the growing number of cases, the French parliament voted to extend the health emergency until February 16. 71 MPs voted on Saturday in first reading for the controversial government bill, 35 MPs rejected it. The bill will be debated in the Senate on Wednesday and the final vote is scheduled for early November.
The health emergency gives the government the opportunity to quickly implement measures such as curfews or seizures in the fight against the virus. You can also take quick action to support the economy in a crisis. The health emergency was declared for the first time at the end of March. It was initially lifted in July, but in mid-October the government reinstated it by decree in view of the massive increase in the crown number. However, Parliament’s approval is required for a new extension.
Health Minister Olivier Véran had promoted the government’s plan before the vote in the House of Representatives. The extension of the emergency is necessary to “effectively” combat the second wave of corona infections, Véran said. The opposition warned against restricting freedom rights.
As of Saturday, the night curfew has been in effect in France for around two-thirds of the country’s residents, that is, around 46 million people. The curfew applies to 54 departments and the French overseas territory of French Polynesia. At night, people can only go outside with a valid reason.
