- Title: FRANCE: FRENCH CABINET MEETS TO ANNOUNCE RESIGNATION OF THE GOVERNMENT.
- Date: 28th March 1973
- Summary: 1. GV EXT. Elysee Palace. 0.03 2. SV PAN M. Debre arrives and enters. 0.21 3. SV PAN M. Messmer arrives and enters. 0.30 4. MV PAN M. Bettencourt arrives and enters. 0.43 5. SV M's. Fasure and Guichard arrives and enters. 1.01 6. SV PAN M. Poujade arrives and enters. 1.09 Initials RW/VS 0.01 RW/VS 0.10 Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 12th April 1973 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: PARIS, FRANCE
- Country: France
- Reuters ID: LVA665TFUTM863L9Y0UCWLW5R1MZ
- Story Text: The French Government resigned on Wednesday (28 March) in a traditional post election move. However, the Prime Minister, Pierre Messmer, stayed on to head a new government.
M. Messmer presented the Government's resignation to French President Georges Pompidou after a cabinet meeting.
When the President received the formal resignation, he thanked the outgoing Government for its 'Useful and effective work', and he praised it for its 'heightened sense of responsibility'.
The make-up of the new cabinet will not be known until the end of next week, but the key posts of Foreign Minister and Justice Minister are among those definitely changing hands.
SYNOPSIS: French cabinet ministers met at the Elysee Palace on Wednesday to formally announce the resignation of the Government. Michel Debre, the Minister of State, was among the first to arrive. The resignation after the elections is traditional, but Prime Minister Pierre Messmer will stay on to head the new Government. M. Messmer, who became Prime Minister last July, handed in the formal resignation to President Pompidou after the meeting.
Andre Bettencourt, the minister-delegate attached to the Prime Minister is tipped to be replaced, but the only two portfolios definitely changing hands are those of Justice and Foreign Affairs.
Immediately after the cabinet meeting, President Pompidou invited the deputies of the Gaullist UDA party to lunch with him. Official sources say that the main members of a new government will be named by Friday.
Robert Poujade, the Environment Protection Minister was one of the last to arrive. Reports say his portfolio will also change hands.
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