The state of emergency has been extended three times since then with the latest prolongation expected to last until July 15, 2017.
"I shall restore the freedoms of the French by lifting the state of emergency because these freedom are the preconditions of the existence of a strong democracy," Macron told the country’s Congress bringing together the upper and lower houses of French Parliament, at the Versailles Palace.
France has repeatedly been targeted by terrorists. On March 18, 2017, a French national Ziyed Ben Belgacem attacked police in the northern Paris suburb of Garges-les-Gonesse and later arrived at the Paris Orly Airport where he tried to grab a female soldier's weapon, saying he was ready to die for Allah.
On November 13, 2015, a series of gun and bomb attacks hit the French capital claiming the lives of 130 people. On July 14, 2016, a truck rammed into a crowd in Nice, which led to over 80 deaths. Daesh has claimed responsibility for the attacks.
