France's 2016 spent in shadow of terror attacks

PARIS

2016 in France passed in the shadow of terrorist attacks and amid a state of emergency declared after the November 2015 Paris attacks which killed 130 people.

In December, France's lower house of parliament voted to extend the nation’s state of emergency until 15 July 2017, a fifth extension.

Despite security concerns, France hosted the UEFA European Championship but the tournament was overshadowed by events off the football field. Portugal won the Euro 2016 which was dominated by fan fights rather than football.

The country was shaken again by the Magnanville, Nice and Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray terror attacks.

On July 13, a police officer and his wife, who were going home after work, were stabbed to death in front of their house in Magnanville, west of Paris.

A day later, at least 84 people were killed and nearly 200 injured when a 19-ton van ran into crowds late on Thursday during Bastille Day celebrations in Nice.

On July 26, two knife-wielding attackers were killed by police after taking a priest and other church-goers hostage in the town of Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray, near Rouen. The murdered priest was identified by the archbishop of Rouen as Jacques Hamel, 84.

Strikes, protests in France

Thousands of people came out on the streets several times to protest a proposed new labor law.

Unions demanded that the Socialist government scrap a controversial labor bill -- dubbed the El Khomri law after Labor Minister Myriam El Khomri -- claiming it paves the way for fundamental changes at the expense of workers’ rights.

More than one million people marched on a March 31 protest.

The labor law dispute spread to oil refineries in the country, causing fuel shortages.

Another controversial constitutional bill on sweeping emergency measures, including stripping French nationals of citizenship if convicted of terrorist charges, caused disputes in France. Justice Minister Christiane Taubira quit over the plan.

Another important change in the French government was at the Foreign Ministry. French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius announced he was leaving the government as part of an expected reshuffle. President Francois Hollande said Fabius would chair France’s constitutional court.

State of emergency

On Dec. 14, France's lower house of parliament voted to extend the nation’s state of emergency until July 15.

It is the fifth extension of the state of emergency, first put in place in November 2015 after Daesh attacks killed 130 people across Paris.

The state of emergency was previously extended four times: twice for three months, once for two months to ensure security during this summer’s Euro 2016 tournament and the Tour de France biking competition. It was again renewed in July for six months.

At the beginning of June, France was hit by floods. The River Seine in Paris rose to the highest level since 1982.

Calais

The French authorities closed the so-called “Jungle” refugee camp in the city of Calais -- home to up to 7,000 people. While some of the refugees still struggled to survive in the region, human rights groups criticized the predicament of unaccompanied children.

Presidential race

Former French Economy Minister Emmanuel Macron announced he would run for president in elections in 2017.

The long-awaited decision is seen as a threat to both right and left campaigners. The 38-year-old minister founded his own political movement En Marche! (On the move!) last April.

Former Prime Minister Francois Fillon took a big lead in the primary race to become the French right's presidential candidate, and was later declared the victor. Former President Nicolas Sarkozy ran in the Republicans' presidential primary but was eliminated in the first round of voting.

Current French president, Francois Hollande, announced he would not stand for re-election in 2017.

After Hollande’s announcement, French Prime Minister Manuel Valls announced his presidential bid. Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve, was named as the country's new premier following Valls’s resignation.

*Reporting by Onur Usta; Writing by Handan Kazanci