(S (S (PP (IN Despite) (NP (NP (BASENP (DT a) (NN drop)) (PP (IN in) (NP (BASENP (NN violence)) (PP (IN in) (BASENP (DT the) (NN country)))))) (PP (IN over) (BASENP (DT the) (JJ past) (NN weekend))))) (COMMA ,) (S (BASENP (DT the) (JJ French) (NN cabinet)) (VP (VBZ has) (VP (VBN agreed) (S (VP (TO to) (VP (VP (VB ask) (BASENP (DT the) (NN parliament))) (PP (IN for) (NP (BASENP (DT a) (JJ three-month) (NN extension)) (PP (TO to) (BASENP (NN emergency) (NNS powers)))))))))))) (PERIOD .))