NO PREMIER IN FRANCE

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27064, 12 June 1953, Page 9

NO PREMIER IN FRANCE

Bidault Fails By One Vote (Rec. 8 p.m.) PARIS. June 11. The French National Assembly early today refused to accept Mr Georges Bidault as Prime Minister. An official count showed that the Popular Republican leader received 313 votes, which is one less than required for an absolute majority for investiture. The President (Mr Vincent Auriol) must now seek a sixth candidate for the Prime Ministership. There have been five unsuccessful nominations since the Radical leader (Mr Rene Mayer) was defeated on May 21. Mr Auriol today decided to put the maximum pressure on political leaders to agree on the Prime Minister to attend the Big' Three Bermuda conference. ... „ < After consultation with Parliamentary group leaders, the President will designate a Prime Minister to seek investiture from the National A Eariier y in the day when Mr Bidault appeared before the . National Assembly there were ominous murmurs from several sectors when he declared: “In all conscience I must state that if Parliament does not propose a solution, my Government would provide one by a decree law in the interests of public safety.” Mr Bidault earlier told the Assembly that he would ask for special powers for one year to act by decree in reorganising the civil service, the nationalised industries and private trade without any interference by Parliament. He also demanded special powers to cut expenditure and increase revenue to rectify the Budget deficit of £750,000,000, unless the Assembly took such steps within a fortnight.