PARIS, Dec. 10 (Xinhuanet) -- France's highest court, the Conseil d' Etat, upheld on Friday the continuation of the emergency powers, arguing that troubles could erupt again during end-of-year festivities.

    Acknowledging that "the circumstances that justified the state of emergency's declaration have clearly changed," the court said the suddenness of the riots and the "possible risks of a return to violence" during New Year's celebrations meant the exceptional law should remain.

    The state of emergency was declared by the French government on Nov. 9 by invoking the 1955 emergency law to give powers of local officials, or prefects to declare curfews, ban public meetings and issue house-arrest orders.

    The French parliament approved the following week a law to extend the emergency by three months.

    Some 70 left-wing associations and unions were to present a "symbolic" petition on Friday to demand the abrogation of the state of emergency.

    "This law, which is extremely dangerous for public freedoms, came into effect without ever being brought before the Constitutional Council. Another step was thus taken on the road of destruction for our state of law," they said in a statement. Enditem