primarily the result of a The bourgeois coalition composed of the Gaullist Rally for the Republic (RPR), the Giscardian Union of French Democracy (UDF), and a of "independent bourgeois politicians - won 50.5 per cent of the vote (only 300,000 more than the Communist Party (PCF), Socialist Party (PS), and Left Radicals) but will control 290 seats in the new National Assembly, as against 201 for the len.
The right gained by mobilsing extra votes in the second round, where the turnout was two per cent higher than in the previous week. Its crude ante Communist campaign had the support of the mass media, to the extent that the trade unions vision stations protested and threatened to prevent normal news programmes from being broadcast.
SQUABBLING President Giscard d'Estaing. who according to the constitution of the Fifth Republic Is sial subsing in the real squabbling in the real world, intervened actively to bolster the right.
And all this "normal" bourgoois clection trickery compounded by a good dose of the abnormal': bribes, fraud, and s0.on.
Bus all these factors, which account for the wide variation in the number of seats held by the two blocs, do not fully the disappointing showing of the left.
Almost exactly ten years after The electoral victory of the right in France was gerrymandered election system, writes GILLES GIACOMIN from Paris. their betrayal of the movement of the working class in May 1968, the leaderships of the relormist workers parties have again betrayed their followers and suoDoTers.
The six months of Vicious palemie between theer minor leaderships Over details for a class collaborationist programme broke the huilding up in the factories.
The workers, creasingly believed that their social strugales could find an outlet in the political defeat of cooterame workab formed into spectators at an unprincipled The last minute pact after the first round came too late to allow a real unitary offensive. This belps explain the shift off several percentage points between the two rounds The manoevres of realignment began immediately the di results became known Robert TTEE ATIC DOLES Left Radicals, announced that he no longer felt bound by the | 1972 IT US revealing the Left Radicals role in the Union of the Lett was In the event of victory, the BENE Radicals would served as the watchdog of the bourgeoisie within the left government; given the defeat, the need for that role disappears, and the Left Radicals became the first grouping to accept the Giscardians offer of an opening' for a new majority So far the leaders of th PS mass had in brawl of their 6 Programme, have rejected that opening.
sating that they intend to continue their policy of alliance with the PCF. blaming the PCF for the dehave Tear. Tbe PCF has in turn blamed the PS.
The results represent a politimovement. Despite the Torment programmes of tee PCF and PS. cary would have strengthened the workers" positions in their struggle against austerity, inMation, uncmployment, the general economic and social offensive of thee employThe defeat, hand, will undoubtedly pro voke → CONUS DI simultancously 19 March.
the ideal. The RPR. dominated the outgoing WEEKLE , a left-wing vic- firmed and among those who have beer suffering most from that of fensive and had thought thi they could settle accounts on Nonetheless, the situation for Government is far from which had Assembly, lost some 30 seats. The decline of Gaullism is thus conMore The PCT will have 86 scats in clectoral the new assembly, the PS w1 have 104, while the Left Radi- economic cals have lost two seats and will hold ten in the new assembly. voting. The other left scat is held by a Giscard's UDF made clear gains (22 seats) and will hold 137 in all, but the Giscardians still remain a minority in their despite the weakening of the Gaullists The RPR has already rejected Giscard's call for an opening of the majority towards the PS and will almost certainly bock implementation of the reforms' the Giscardians pro mised during their campaign.
important scores themselves. however, is the depth of the CONs which will be unaffected by the tones workers will continue their light against the effects of that crisis, ond now the celor mist loaders will he deprived of Muggles I must be cooled 50 as not 10 prejudice elecioral chances.
-Throughou LILIALI the PCF and Ps showered workers with promises of the gains they could expect from a lell government. Now, after a possible brief period of disappointment, the workers will try to win those very same gains through struggle.
It can he done, provided that the unity that was lacking during the clection campaign. Is forged in reality in the facThe new bourgeois majority political legitimacy. And there 1 incheation that the workers will not grint it any In this way migrants are kept