FRANCE: FRENCH SOCIALISTS DEFEAT CONSERVATIVE GOVERNMENT OF PRESIDENT CHIRAC IN DECISIVE ROUND OF REGIONAL ELECTIONS
Record ID:
648565
FRANCE: FRENCH SOCIALISTS DEFEAT CONSERVATIVE GOVERNMENT OF PRESIDENT CHIRAC IN DECISIVE ROUND OF REGIONAL ELECTIONS
- Title: FRANCE: FRENCH SOCIALISTS DEFEAT CONSERVATIVE GOVERNMENT OF PRESIDENT CHIRAC IN DECISIVE ROUND OF REGIONAL ELECTIONS
- Date: 28th March 2004
- Summary: (U7)PARIS, FRANCE (MARCH 28, 2004) (REUTERS) 1. WS OF SOCIALIST HEAQUARTERS 0.03 2. CU OF SOCIALIST SUPPORTER LOOKING ANXIOUS BEFORE RESULTS 0.08 3. SCU: TV SCREEN WITH COUNTDOWN AND THEN RESULTS PAN TO SOCIALISTS CHEERING AND APPLAUDING 0.33 4. MORE OF SOCIALISTS CHEERING AND APPLAUDING 0.43 5. MAP OF FRANCE ON TV SCREEN 0.48 6. PEOPLE APPLAUDING AND CHANTING "HUCHON,HUCHON (HEAD OF THE SOCIALIST LIST FOR THE REGIONAL ELECTIONS) 0.54 7. CU OF SUPPORTERS 0.59 8. SOCIALIST LEADER FRANCOIS HOLLANDE ARRIVING SURROUNDED BY REPORTERS 1.08 9. (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRANCOIS HOLLANDE, SOCIALIST LEADER, SAYING: "They (the French) inflicted a severe disavowal to the President of the Republic, who according to the conditions of his election had to look after the scrupulous respect of the social pact and the republican pact; he has strayed a long way away from the initial idea. From then, the answer is not a government reshuffle whatever its scope is, but a deep change in the political orientation. The head of state, and only him, faces his responsibilities. 1.52 10. WIDE OF FRANCOIS HOLLANDE IN PRESS ROOM 1.55 11. SOCIALISTS CLINKING GLASSES AND SAYING "TO THE VICTORY OF THE LEFT" 2.00 12. UMP HEADQUARTERS WITH PEOPLE STANDING QUIETLY 2.09 13. PEOPLE WATCHING ELECTION NIGHT ON TV 2.18 14. CU: TV SCREEN SHOWING RESULTS IN ILE DE FRANCE 2.21 15. CU; QUIET CENTRE-RIGHT SUPPORTER WATCHING TV 2.23 16. (SOUNDBITE) (French) CENTRE-RIGHT SUPPORTER AUDE-CHARLOTTE SAYING: "It came as a shock to me, we should not delude ourselves, but it will not let the UMP explode, we still have 365 deputies at the National Assembly, our president is still a UMP president. So, at the same time we were taught a lesson but we are also full of hope, we still have the European elections in June, we are not totally desperate. 2.54 17. VARIOUS OF CENTRE-RIGHT SUPPORTERS STANDING 3.03 18. (SOUNDBITE)(French) PRIME MINISTER JEAN-PIERRE RAFFARIN SAYING: "Policies must be more efficient and fair, and it is certain that some changes must be made. It is not forbidden to remember that what has been done in the past two years had not been done during the five previous years. I am convinced that the French do not want the return of immobilism, the reforms must continue simply because they are necessary, they are necessary for the employment, necessary for the safety of the health care, necessary for the development of the growth and for the control of the public spending. They are necessary in order to become stronger in Europe." 3.52 19. WS; EIFFEL TOWER SCINTILLATING AT NIGHT 4.00 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 12th April 2004 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: PARIS, FRANCE
- Country: France
- Reuters ID: LVAAGUAZS0C1HQC4TB76FJLPL4WN
- Story Text: The French left won a clear victory over the ruling
conservatives of President Chirac in regional elections.
The French left defeated the conservative
government of President Jacques Chirac in the decisive
round of regional elections on Sunday (March 28).
An exit poll by the CSA polling group showed mainstream
leftist parties won 50 percent of the vote compared to 37.5
percent for Chiracs conservatives.
Pollsters TNS-Sofres gave the left 49.8 percent and the
centre-right 37 percent in a vote seen as a popularity test
for the governments economic reforms.
The far-right around National Front leader Jean-Marie
Le Pen lost votes, achieving 13.2 percent of votes
according to the TNS-Sofres poll, after scoring some 15
percent in 1998.
The left swept to victory in a large majority of the
regions. Polls said those are to include the key Ile de
France region that Paris is part of, Poitou-Charentes where
Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin made his name and
Auvergne, where former President Valery Giscard dEstains
lost.
Around five hundred socialists supporters gathered at
the Socialist headquarters to celebrate the triumph.
Few minutes after the first results, Francois Hollande,
the head of the Socialists said: "They (the French)
inflicted a severe disavowal to the President of the
Republic, who according to the conditions of his election
had to look after the scrupulous respect of the social pact
and the republican pact ; he has strayed a long way
away from the initial idea. From then, the answer is not a
government reshuffle whatever its scope is, but a deep
change in the political orientation. The head of state, and
only him, faces his responsibilities."
The elections are to regional councils which, in
themselves, hold limited power. But the polls were
considered to be the main mid-term test of Chiracs
popularity and Raffarin's job was seen on the line in the
event of a clear left-wing victory.
President Jacques Chiracs centre-right UMP had
controlled 14 regions since the last regional vote in 1998
and the left had held 11.
President Jacques Chirac is not obliged to act on the
election, seen as a mid-term test of his policies three
years before the next presidential election.
But he is widely expected to shake up the cabinet and
even Raffarin's job is not considered safe.
Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin said Frances ruling
conservatives would continue with economic reforms despite
Sundays stinging defeat but conceded some policy changes
were needed.
Policies must be more efficient and fair, and it is
certain that some changes must be made. It is not forbidden
to remember that what has been done in the past two years
had not been done during the five previous years.
I am convinced that the French do not want the return
of immobilism, the reforms must continue
simply because they are necessary, they are necessary for
the employment, necessary for the safety of the health
care, necessary for the development of the growth and for
the control of the public spending. They are necessary in
order to become stronger in Europe, he said.
The left made a big rebound from the 2002 parliamentary
election, when it lost power with 37 percent of votes
compared to the centre-rights 43 percent.
It is expected to use its regional gains as a platform
for the 2007 presidential and parliamentary contest.
A cabinet reshuffle has been widely expected since the
left won 40 percent of votes in the first round of voting
on March 21 compared to the centre-right parties 34 percent
and the far-rights 17 percent.
Political commentators said before the second round
that Raffarin, a Chirac ally, was likely to stay for now
but a rout could hasten his departure.
Stubbornly high unemployment, an unpopular reform of
the state pensions system and threatened cuts to the costly
medical insurance system have wrecked Raffarin's ratings.
In recent months, teachers, hospital workers,
scientists and firemen have all demonstrated against
government moves to cut the public deficit and rein in
welfare spending.
The head of President Jacques Chiracs ruling party,
Alain Juppe, said the French government must continue with
its economic reforms despite the crushing defeat for the
ruling centre-right in regional elections.
Withdrawing the reforms would be condemning France to
paralysis and going back, he said.
Frances 22 regions and four overseas regions have less
power than corresponding German states or Spanish
provinces, but can decide on matters such as schools,
housing, transport, tourism and environment and culture
policy.
The mainstream left won Frances 20 regions, while the
centre-right won only 2.
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