MOTION OF CENSURE

Press, Volume C, Issue 29699, 18 December 1961, Page 17

MOTION OF CENSURE

Rowdy French Debate (N.Z.P.A .-Reuter—Copyright) PARIS, December 16 Mr Miichel Debre’s Government survived a censure motion in the National Assembly early today after a debate which produced rowdy scenes reminiscent of the Parliaments of pre-Gaullist days. During the debate, six plastic bombs exploded in various parts of Paris, causing damage but no casualties, and seven burst in Algiers. Plastic bombs are the favourite weapon of the outlawed Secret Army Organisation (O.AS.) The Government was never in danger in the vote. Right and Left combined unnaturally behind a Social-ist-Radical motion demanding only “censure.” withou* choosing a specific is e ue. and the total of 100 was 77 votes short of the 276 required to overthrow the Government. Earlier, violent verbal attacks against Mr Debre and Government policy on subjects as diverse as foreign affairs and internment camps rave way to uoroar and burlesque scenes in which deputies claimed the State television bad given too much vision time to a Gaullist deputy. The President (Speaker) ordered the television cameras to stop operating and suspended the session, amid 'shouts and a deafening banging of desk lids. After the vote—the sixth censure motion the Debre Government has survived— Parliament adjourned until In the corridors of the Assembly. the Socialist leader. Mr Guy Mollet. struck a deputy who had called him a coward during the debate, but they exchanged apologies later.