Reform Bill Passes French Assembly

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28543, 24 March 1958, Page 11

Reform Bill Passes French Assembly

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 9 p.m.) PARIS, March 22. The French National Assembly early today approved a Government constitutional reform bill aimed at strengthening the executive and making Cabinet crises less frequent. The vote was taken on the second reading of the bill, which now goes to the Council of the Republic (the Upper House). The bill’s principal features are: No private member of the Assembly can propose legislation calling for Government expenditure or the raising of taxes. Governments can only be overthrown by adoption of votes of censure or votes of defiance (a new term) and every member of the Assembly must register his vote (if absent, by proxy).

The Government is given powers to dissolve the Assembly in certain circumstances and call for new elections, but the President of the Republic can override it if he considers that the circumstances are so serious as to make dissolution undesirable. The Prime Minister, Mr Felix Gaillard, had a successful “showdown” yesterday with the Conservative wing of his Parliamentary majority which has been threatening to oust him from office over the British and American good offices mission on Tunisia.

The Conservatives were pressing Mr Gaillard to make a statement on the progress of the mission before the adjournment of the Assembly for the Easter recess on March 28. The Prime Minister said he would only do this “if circumstances permit.” To mark their dissatisfaction the Conservatives then voted with the Communists and Poujadists to reject next week’s Assembly agenda. Mr Gaillard, however, steadfastly refused to discuss the good offices issue prematurely and said he would resign if not supported on this issue.

Rather than provoke a Cabinet crisis, the Conservatives voted for the agenda and the Prime Minis-

Observers believed the Government could now look forward to at least six weeks of unharried existence.