FRANCE: GAULLIST REFERENDUM RALLY WITH SPEECHES BY COUVE DE MURVILLE AND ANDRE MALRAUX

Record ID: 215151

  • Title: FRANCE: GAULLIST REFERENDUM RALLY WITH SPEECHES BY COUVE DE MURVILLE AND ANDRE MALRAUX
  • Date: 24th April 1969
  • Summary: 1. GV INTERIOR..REFERENDUM RALLY MEETING 0.03 2. GV PAN..CROWD WITH BANNER WAVING AND CHEERING (2 SHOTS) 0.10 3. PICTURER OF DE GAULLE 0.11 4. CU STREET SIGN 'BOULEVARD LEFEBVRE' 0.14 5. SV & CU DEMONSTRATORS MARCH PAST (2 SHOTS) 0.21 6. SV POLICE ON ROADSIDE 0.22 7. GV POLICE BREAKING UP DEMONSTRATION 0.26 8. GV INTE
  • Embargoed: 9th May 1969 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: PARIS, FRANCE
  • Country: France
  • Reuters ID: LVA986NET9LZDOHN9HZQ8OF65I53
  • Story Text: AS THE TWO-WEEK REFERENDUM CAMPAIGN NEARED ITS END OF WEDNESDAY, GAULLIST SUPPORTERS IN FAVOUR OF THE REFERENDUM ON REGIONALISATION AND REFORM OF THE SENATE HELD A RALLY IN PARIS. SUPPORTERS OF M. TIXIER-VIGNANCOURT HELD A PROTEST MARCH OUTSIDE AS PRIME MINISTER COUVE DE MURVILLE ARRIVED WITH HIS PREDECESSOR, M. POMPIDOU, AND FOREIGN MINISTER M. DEBRE. M. COUVE DE MURVILLE AND CULTURAL AFFAIR'S MINISTER, ANDRE MALRAUX BOTH MADE SPEECHES WHICH WERE GREETED WITH TUMULTUOUS APPLAUSE.

    THE RALLY TOOK PLACE IN A SPORT'S STADIUM IN PARIS SHORTLY AFTER M. GEORGES POMPIDOU, THE FORMER PRIME MINISTER, HAD SPOKEN IN SUPPORT OF THE REFERENDUM ON TELEVISION. THE GOVERNMENT HAS STEPPED UP ITS CAMPAIGN TO WIN THE REFERENDUM SINCE THE WEEK-END WHEN SEVERAL OPINION POLLS SHOWED THAT THE NEW REFORMS WOULD BE REJECTED BY A SMALL MAJORITY OF THE ELECTORATE.

    BEFORE THE RALLY POLICE HAD TO DIVERT A RIGHT-WING DEMONSTRATION LED BY LAWYER AND FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE, M. TIXIER-VIGNANCOURT. THE RIGHT-WING ALLIANCE WHICH HE LEADS SUPPORTED GENERAL DE GAULLE IN LAST JUNE'S GENERAL ELECTIONS, BUT HAS COME OUT AGAINST THE REFERENDUM, WHICH THE OPPOSITION GENERALLY REGARDS AS UNCONSTITUTIONAL.

    AT THE GAULLIST RALLY PRIME MINISTER COUVE DE MURVILLE MADE A POPULAR SPEECH IN FAVOUR OF THE REFERENDUM. HE SAID THAT ON APRIL 27TH, 1969 THE CITY OF PARIS MUST AGAIN SET AN EXAMPLE TO THE REST OF THE COUNTRY AS IT DID IN MAY LAST YEAR, SO THAT FRANCE DOES NOT CLOSE THE GATES OF THE FUTURE BY VOTING 'NO'. PARIS, HE SAID, WOULD MAKE THOSE SAYING 'YES' TRIUMPH.

    ANOTHER SPEAKER WAS CULTURAL AFFAIRS MINISTER, ANDRE MALRAUX. HE SAID THAT PEOPLE WERE ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT THE EVENTS OF LAST MAY. HE ASKED WHETHER ANY OF DE GAULLE'S OPPONENTS WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO STAY IN POWER IN SIMILAR CIRCUMSTANCES.
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