FRENCH ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 25030, 12 November 1946, Page 7

FRENCH ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS

Communist Party In Lead gains at expense of SOCIALISTS (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) SeC . 12.30 a.m.) LONDON, Nov. 11. Final figures for metropolitan France and 48 out of 65 jtrseas territories in the voting for the new French National jgembly give the state of the parties as follows: Communists .. .. .. . _ 167 M.K.P. (Moderate Catholic Democratic Group) 163 Socialists .. .. .. .. 96 PJLL. (Parti Republicame de la Liberte) .. 78 Radicals and Allied Groups .. ~ .. 62 de Gaullists . . .. .. ’ * 9 Algerian Independent Moslem Party .. . . 7 Algerian Party “for the Triumph of Democratic Liberty” .. .. .. . _ 5 Others . - -. .... . ’ 5 [ln the elections held on June 2, 1946, the M.R.P. won 163 seats, the Communists 150, and the Socialists 128. Other parties won 125 seats.] The following leaders have been re-elected: Mr Felix 4Hin (Socialsts). Mr Georges Bidault (M.R.P.), Mr Edouard jerriot and Mr Edouard Daladier (Radical Socialists), the inner Prime Minister, Mr Paul Reynaud; Mr Maurice Thorez Communist) and Mr Duclos (Secretary-General of the Comnunist Party), and Mr Michel Clemenceau, son of “The Tiger” Conservative). Reuter’s correspondent says there is much speculation Aether the Communists (assuming they retain their lead) rill claim the premiership and the foreign minister’s portfolio, oth now held by Mr Bidault.

Ihe Ministry of the Interior says it about 75 'per cent, of the elecrate voted in the elections First rests from the Paris area showed that e Communist Radicals gained at the ipense of the M.R.P. thirty per cent, of the voters of ierbourg abstained from voting, here was a 50 per cent, poll at Mar=2es and Bordeaux. The Sunday calm ® unruffled everywhere.

Q.^J^ rchb l shop of Paris (Cardinal buhard) sent a message to the Paris churches urging the congregations to vote, but making no comment ou the choice of candidates. All appeals to vote failed to create a sense of urgency. One elector complained: “This is the seventh time in less than two years that we have been asked to vote and it is getting somewhat tiring.”