France has renewed temporary controls at its internal Schengen borders (the passport-free travel zone covering most EU members plus several non-EU states) for a further six months, through 31 October 2026, notifying the European Commission of the decision. Paris cites persistent threats including jihadist terrorism, rising antisemitic attacks, irregular migration networks, and instability stretching from Afghanistan to Ukraine as justification — continuing a practice it has maintained without interruption since the November 2015 terror attacks. Critics, including the migrant-rights coalition Anafé, warn that what was designed as a strictly temporary, exceptional measure has become routine, with eleven other Schengen states also currently enforcing internal checks, prompting experts to argue that the founding principle of free movement across Europe has been fundamentally undermined.