- Title: FRANCE: REFERENDUM PREPARATIONS BEGIN
- Date: 15th April 1969
- Summary: STREET SCENE POSTERS; TOWN HALL; FLAG; MAN CLEARING BALLOT BOXES AND MAN MOVING THEM; MORE POSTERS. Initials MJS/V/???/CC Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 30th April 1969 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: PARIS + SUBURBS
- Country: France
- Reuters ID: LVA3Y0ESD6PEMRVXKWIBUIDKN8CO
- Story Text: FRANCE YESTERDAY (MONDAY) BEGAN PREPARING ITSELF FOR WHAT COULD BE ITS MOST CRITICAL REFERENDUM YET.
FRENCH PRIME MINISTER MAURICE COUVE DE MURVILLE OPENED THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT'S OFFICIAL CAMPAIGN FOR THE APRIL 27TH REFERENDUM WITH A SPEECH AT LILLE LAST NIGHT.
THE REFERENDUM HAS ASSUMED OVERWHELMING IMPORTANCE SINCE GENERAL DE GAULLE'S DECLARATION IN A TELEVISION INTERVIEW ON THURSDAY (10 APRIL) THAT IF THE NATION SAID NO TO REFERENDUM PROPOSALS, HE WOULD CONSIDER RESIGNING OFFICE.
THE PROPOSALS CONCERN CHANGES IN THE SENATE, AND REGIONAL REFORM AND RE-ORGANISATION. IN HIS SPEECHES ON THE SUBJECT HE HAS PRESENTED THE REFORMS VERY MUCH AS HIS OWN PERSONAL PROGRAMME FOR FRANCE'S FUTURE.
HE INSISTED THAT THE TWO REFORMS WERE COMPLEMENTARY AND SHOULD THEREFORE BE PUT TO THE ELECTORATE IN A SINGLE VOTE - A PROCEDURE WHICH HAS AROUSED MUCH CRITICISM. ON THE DAY OF THE GENERAL'S BROADCAST, A PUBLIC OPINION POLL SHOWED ONLY TWENTY-FIVE PER CENT OF FRENCH VOTERS READY TO VOTE FOR THE PROPOSALS, AND TRADE UNION AND SOCIALIST LEADERS HAVE ATTACKED HIM FOR ATTEMPTING TO BLACKMAIL THE COUNTRY.
BUT THE HEIGHTENED POLITICAL ATMOSPHERE AFTER THE SPEECH MAY AID THE GENERAL, AS IT HAS DONE IN THE PAST, AND EX-PRIME MINISTER GEORGES POMPIDOU, GENERAL DE GAULLE'S ONLY POSSIBLE CHALLENGER FOR LEADERSHIP, HAS ANNOUNCED HE WILL BACK THE REFORMS.
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