- Title: FRANCE: PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION CAMPAIGN - MITTERRAND AND LECANUET ON TOUR
- Date: 28th November 1965
- Summary: 1. SV PASSER-BY AT ELECTION POSTERS OF CANDIDATES 0.04 2. MV TRACKING SHOT - POSTERS 0.11 3. GV CROWD OUTSIDE MITTERRAND MEETING PLACE 0.14 4. SV MITTERRAND BANNER 0.15 5. MV MITTERRAND POSTER 0.17 6. MV MITTERRAND BANNER ON CAR 0.20 7. CU PEOPLE ARRIVE FOR MEETING 0.23 8. SV MITTERRAND ARRIVES S.O.F. (CHANTED GREETIN
- Embargoed: 13th December 1965 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: NEAR PARIS, FRANCE
- Country: France
- Reuters ID: LVA18IQRKF11VFPSQA7SA22UII5S
- Story Text: FRANCE GOES TO THE POLLS ON SUNDAY TO VOTE FOR OR AGAINST PRESIDENT DE GAULLE. TO BE RE-ELECTED, HE NEEDS ONLY A BARE MAJORITY OF 50 PER CENT. PLUS ONE VOTE OVER THE TOTAL OF HIS FIVE CHALLENGERS COMBINED. THE MAIN RIVALS ARE LEFT-WING LAWYER MITTERRAND AND SENATOR LECANUET, THE CENTRE CANDIDATE.
THE FRENCH INSTITUTE OF PUBLIC OPINION GIVES THE PRESIDENT A 57 PER CENT. VOTE -- A DROP OF NEARLY TEN PER CENT. SINCE HIS RIVALS STEPPED UP THEIR CAMPAIGNS.
FRANCOIS MITTERRAND, A FORMER INTERIOR AND JUSTICE MINISTER IN THE FOURTH REPUBLIC, IS 49. THE PRESIDENT IS 75 AND M. LECANUET, WHO RESIGNED AS PRESIDENT OF THE CATHOLIC MRP TO BECOME A CANDIDATE, IS THE YOUNGEST CONTENDER AT 45.
THE PRESIDENT'S MOST FORMIDABLE ADVERSARY, M. MITTERRAND IS SUPPORTED BY THE COMMUNISTS, AND THE SOCIALISTS --- FRANCE'S TWO LARGEST LEFT-WING PARTIES. IF ELECTED, HE SAYS HE WOULD DIRECT THE NATION'S NUCLEAR DEFENCE INDUSTRY INTO CIVILIAN CHANNELS WITHIN A YEAR.
HE SPOKE AGAIN YESTERDAY (SATURDAY) ABOUT FRANCE'S NUCLEAR POLICY. AT PANTIN AND BONDY, TWO PARIS SUBURBS WITH SOCIALIST AND COMMUNIST LOCAL COUNCILS, HE WARNED (SOF) AGAINST PRESIDENT DE GAULLE'S INSISTENCE ON A FRENCH-RUN ATOMIC STRIKE FORCE. EVEN, HE SAID, THE TWO NUCLEAR GIANTS, THE SOVIET UNION AND THE UNITED STATES RECOGNISED, AS THE PRESIDENT DID NOT, THAT HUMANITY LAY IN MORTAL DANGER OF THE SPREADING OF NUCLEAR ARMAMENT.
M. LECANUET'S CAMPAIGN IS HANDLED BY A PUBLIC RELATIONS FIRM PROMOTING JAMES BOND SALES IN FRANCE. HE PROMISES THAT IF HE POLLS THREE MILLION VOTES HE WILL FORM A DEMOCRAT PARTY FOR THE LEGISLATIVE ELECTIONS IN 1967.
HE BILLS HIMSELF AS A CANDIDATE "IN THE KENNEDY STYLE". NOT ALL FRENCHWOMEN ARE EXPECTED TO SEE THE PARALLEL, NOR FALL FOR HIS GOOD LOOKS. ONE, AFTER HE HAD VISITED COLMAR, WAS NOT TO BE PUT OFF BY HIS MODERN EFFICIENT MANNER. "VIVE DE GAULLE," SHE SAID. "VIVE DE GAULLE."
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