FRANCE: CAMPAIGNING FOR ELECTION ENDS -- MALRAUX SPEAKS AT PARIS GAULLIST RALLY

Record ID: 347403

  • Title: FRANCE: CAMPAIGNING FOR ELECTION ENDS -- MALRAUX SPEAKS AT PARIS GAULLIST RALLY
  • Date: 21st June 1968
  • Summary: M. MALRAUX SPEAKING (FRENCH SOF). Initials RM/V/CR/ES Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 6th July 1968 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: PARIS, FRANCE
  • Country: France
  • Reuters ID: LVA8H4V8QW0W23W7A0VL1O95T3PE
  • Story Text: ELECTION CAMPAIGNING ENDS IN FRANCE TONIGHT (FRIDAY) IN PREPARATION ON FOR SUNDAY'S FIRST ROUND OF VOTING FOR A NEW NATIONAL ASSEMBLY, FOLLOWING THE NATIONAL CRISIS CAUSED BY THE FRENCH STUDENT AND INDUSTRIAL UNREST. AMONG THE POLITICAL RALLIES HELD THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY YESTERDAY WAS A GAULLIST MEETING ADDRESSED BY M. ANDRE MALRAUX, THE MINISTER FOR CULTURAL AFFAIRS.

    SO FAR, THE PUBLIC OPINION POLLS HAVE SHOWN THAT THE VOTERS SHOULD RETURN MUCH THE SAME MIXTURE OF POLITICIANS THE ASSEMBLY AS BEFORE -- WITH A POSSIBLE MODERATE INCREASE IN GAULLISTS STRENGTH. AT THE DISSOLUTION LAST MONTH, THE GUALLISTS WERE TWO SHORT OF AN ABSOLUTE MAJORITY IN THE 487-MEMBER CHAMBER. THEY'RE QUIETLY CONFIDENT OF IMPROVING THEIR POSITION.

    ON THE LEFT, THE COMMUNISTS AND SOCIALISTS HAVE -- SO FAR -- BEEN WAITING VAINLY FOR SIGNS OF A BREAKTHROUGH IN PUBLIC OPINION WHICH WOULD TOPPLE THE GAULLIST GOVERNMENT. IT IS A SIMILAR STORY FOR THE CENTRISTS, WHOSE 42 MEMBERS HELD THE BALANCE OF POWER IN THE OLD HOUSE. THE CAMPAIGN, FOLLOWING SIX WEEKS OF TURBULENT SOCIAL UPHEAVAL, HAS BEEN REMARKABLE FOR THE LACK OF PASSION IT HAS RAISED AMONG THE ELECTORATE.

    PRESIDENT DE GAULLE DISSOLVED THE ASSEMBLY ON 30 MAY, AT THE HEIGHT OF STRIKES THAT NEARLY IMMOBILISED FRANCE, AND ANNOUNCED THE ELECTIONS. HE SAID HE WOULD FIGHT BACK AGAINST THE THREAT OF A COMMUNIST DICTATORSHIP. ELECTION MEETINGS ARE REPORTED TO HAVE BEEN CALM AND SERIOUS, ESPECIALLY IN THE PROVINCES, WHERE CANDIDATES HAVE BEEN FACED WITH WORRIED INQUIRIES ABOUT THE UPHEAVALS IN PARIS
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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