Corsican Contesting Defeat

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31321, 17 March 1967, Page 11

Corsican Contesting Defeat

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter —Copyright) AJACCIO (Corsica), March 16. A third Left-wing Corsican politician announced yesterday that he was contesting his defeat in the French General Election, alleging that the poll was rigged.

Mr Frances Giacobbi told a press conference he had filed a formal appeal for the cancellation .of the election result

with the Constitutional Council, which investigates violations of the Constitution.

Mr Giacobbi listed among his complaints General de Gaulle’s television speech on the election eve, claiming it was a party political broadcast made after the campaign had legally ended.

Two other defeated Leftwing Federation candidates are also appealing against election results in the Mediterranean island, where riot police were flown earlier this week after demonstrations over a disputed constituency by Left-wing supporters. The Gaullist Government is expected to resign on April 3 to enable the 22 members re-elected last Sunday to take part in voting for a new President of the National Assembly the next day As the Gaullists have only a narrow majority, the absence of 22 votes of the Cabinet ministers could cause them to lose control of the appointments of the leading officers of the Assembly.