French Parliamentary Elections

Archive Report

Uncertainty in Left-Right Muddle

Prospect of Stalemate in March Voting

For the past year the news from France has been dominated by the prospect of a left-wing victory in the parliamentary elections to be held March 12 and 19. An alliance of Communists and Socialists triumphed in two-thirds of the country's larger municipal elections last March, and until the alliance (“Union of the Left”) fell apart in September much of the political commentary was voiced in tones of alarm, looking upon a leftist victory in the coming elections as virtually assured. Since then uncertainty has replaced assuredness. For if the political left is divided, so too is the present governing majority, a center-right coalition led by Gaullists and Independent Republicans. It is being said that each ...

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