- Title: FRANCE: FRENCH COMMUNISTS OPEN ELECTION CAMPAIGN.
- Date: 11th June 1968
- Summary: CONFERENCE HALL; ROCHET SPEAKING IN FRENCH. (FRENCH SOF). Initials MA/V/JB/PF Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 26th June 1968 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: PARIS, FRANCE
- Country: France
- Reuters ID: LVAAA0J6NK42ZLID9H0TL1SV2SNA
- Story Text: THE FRENCH GENERAL ELECTION CAMPAIGN HAS OPENED WITH MORE THAN 3,000 CANDIDATES RUNNING FOR THE 487 SEATS IN THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY.
FOR PRESIDENT DE GAULLE AND HIS PARTY THE ELECTION, POLLED ON JUNE 23 AND 30, WILL DECIDE WHETHER FRANCE IS TO BE LOST TO WHAT HE TERMED "TOTALITARIAN COMMUNISM."
THE COMMUNISTS AND THEIR ALLIES. THE FEDERATION OF THE LEFT, WANT TO VOTE TO END 10 YEARS OF GAULLIST RULE AND TO RETURN A GOVERNMENT CAPABLE OF INTRODUCING THE REFORMS FOR WHICH 10 MILLION FRENCH WORKERS WENT ON STRIKE LAST MONTH.
THE COMMUNISTS, WHO HAVE 73 DEPUTIES IN THE OUTGOING NATIONAL ASSEMBLY, ARE THE ONLY PARTY CONTESTING EACH OF THE 487 CONSTITUENCIES.
THE PARTY'S GENERAL SECRETARY, M. WALDECK ROCHET, LAUNCHED THE COMMUNISTS' CAMPAIGN AT A PARIS STADIUM.
HE DENOUNCED WHAT HE TERMED THE IMPUDENCE OF PRESIDENT DE GAULLE AND HIS MEN WHO DARED TO ACCUSE THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF TOTALITARIANISM AND SUBVERSION WHEN IT WAS THEY THEMSELVES WHO CREATED DISORDER AND ORGANISED POLICE PROVOCATIONS.
ROCHET SAID THE COMMUNISTS WERE NOT ADVENTURERS. "WE ARE THE FRENCH COMMUNIST PARTY IN WHICH MILLIONS OF FRENCH PEOPLE PLACE THEIR CONFIDENCE AND THEIR HOPE FOR THE FUTURE. IT IS THE WORKERS WHO ARE THE TRUE BEARERS OF THE NATIONAL HERITAGE OF FRANCE."
WHAT THE PEOPLE HAD TO CHOOSE BETWEEN, HE ADDED, WAS THE PERSONAL POWER OF DE GAULLE OR A NEW DEMOCRACY BASED, ON WHAT HE TERMED, THE UNITY OF ALL WORKING CLASSES.
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