French To Go To Polls

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31317, 13 March 1967, Page 13

French To Go To Polls

' (N.Z.P. A.-Reuter—Copyright) PARIS, March 12. . Frenchmen will vote today in the decisive second leg of the General Election, and all the indications are that President de Gaulle will get solid backing in the National Assembly for the next five years.

Computers predict the results likely to be known soon after the last polling station closes at 8 p.m. will give the Gaullists between 255 and 286 seats in the 486-seat National Assembly.

In the outgoing Assembly the'Gaullists had 265 seats out of 482.

More than 20 million people are voting in 404 constituencies in which there was no clear result in the first ballot last Sunday. In most constituencies it will be a straight fight betwee a Gaullist and a Leftwing candidate. In about 90 cases, the voters of the Democratic Centre candidates defeated last Sunday are likely to be decisive. Simple Majority

The Gaullists won 68 of the 82 seats decided on the first ballot, when an absolute majority was required. Only a simple majority is needed to win a seat this time. Gaullist campaigning in the week since the first ballot has been mainly directed against the Communists, who picked up one million extra votes last Sunday and have made an election alliance with the Left-wing parties for today’s second round.

The Prime Minister, Mr Georges Pompidou, and other members of the Cabinet have repeatedly warned electors: “Don’t give your vote to a Communist.”

Referring to the deal between the Left and the Communists, Mr Alain Peyrefitte, the Scientific Research Minister, told a final election rally last night: “When the Communist bear embraces a Socialist party, you can be sure the aim is to suffocate it” 7 a.m. For Skiers

Polling stations in most constituencies open at 8 a.m. But in some places near mountain regions the opening was advanced to 7 a.m. so that skiers could vote before a day’s winter sport One of the most interesting contests today is in Paris, where the Foreign Minister, Mr Maurice Couve de Murville is in some danger of defeat by his Rightist opponent.

But President de Gaulle is under no obligation to change the Government as a result of

the election, and Mr Couve de Murville can count on continuing as Foreign Minister even if beaten at the polls. One serious election-eve incident was reported last night whn shots were fired as rival groups of Communist and Right-wing bill- stickers clashed at Toulon.

Police said the two groups —about 25 men in ail—fought in one of Toulon’s main, streets with knuckle-dusters and coshes. Two Communists were taken to hospital after the shooting.