Pompidou To Form Govt.

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31339, 8 April 1967, Page 13

Pompidou To Form Govt.

(N.Z.P.A. Reuter—Copyright)

PARIS, April 7.

President de Gaulle yesterday reappointed Mr Georges Pompidou as Prime Minister and asked him to form a new French Government, the Ely see Palace announced.

Mr Pompidou, who resigned with his Cabinet on Saturday after the General Elections last month, is named Prime Minister for the fourth consecutive time.

The communique announcing the appointment was issued while Mr Pompidou was conferring with the President at the Elysee Palace. Formation of the new Government is expected to be announced tonight

Mr Maurice Couve de Murville and Mr Pierre Messmer are expected to remain as Foreign Minister and Defence Minister, in spite of their failure to win Parliamentary seats in the election.

Other Ministers of the old Government also expected to figure in the new Cabinet are Messrs Michel Debre (Finance), Edgar Faure (Agriculture), Edgard Pisani (Equipment), Roger Frey (Interior), Christian Fouchet (Education) and Raymond Marcellin (Industry). EASIER TASK The solid majority vote on Monday for the election of the Gaullist candidate as President of the National Assembly has simplified General de Gaulle’s task of selecting the new Prime Minister.

Mr Pompidou formed his first Government on April 15, 1962, succeeding Mr Michel Debre as the second Prime

Minister since General de Gaulle’s return to power in 1958.

Overthrown by a vote of censure on October 5, 1962, he again headed the Government on November 29 after the Gaullist Party had won the new General Elections that year. Following the Presidential election in December, 1965, Mr Pompidou handed in his mandate to General de Gaulle who appointed him Prime Minister again on January 6, 1966.