French Reforms At Stake

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31880, 7 January 1969, Page 11

French Reforms At Stake

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) . PARIS, Jan. 6. France’s reformist Minister of Education (Mr E. Faure) will be fighting a crucial campaign on two fronts as the country’s 600,000 students return to classes today after the Christmas holidays. At stake are the 60-year-old radical’s political future, and the success of his liberal education-reform programmed with all its implications for the future of France. The first challenge to Mr,

Faure's authority is political —from Right-wingers in the Gaullist Party who want him dismissed for being too soft on the students. Right-wing discontent, simmering since Mr Faure was moved over from the Ministry of Agriculture after last spring’s crisis, burst into public last month with the publication of a strong attack demanding his dismissal. The call was by the Gaullist Committee for the De- . fence of the Republic in ] Dijon, the home town of the party chief. Mr R. Poujade, jwho later denied he had any ; hand in the affair. The Dijon committee .'branded Mr Faure’s proI gramme “a bluff, a fiasco, and a time bomb” against the French regime and French I civilisation as a whole. Two ! other committees have also attacked Mr Faure. These committees were formed after the spring crisis ]|to rally support round Gene,]ral 7 de Gaulle, and have beJ come an unofficial offshoot of . the Gaullist Party. They in- . elude many Right-wing Gauldlists. I Mr Faure’s reply appeared .{last Thursday in the form of > a front-page article in the J Paris evening newspaper, “Le .! Monde.” J Mr Faure strongly defended his policies and attacked J “ideologically reactionary and s Fascist-inclined circles.”

1 He is understood to have. > taken this step without con-! i suiting either President de t Gaulle or the Prime Minister ; (Mr Couve de Murville).