French Communist Candidate

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31981, 7 May 1969, Page 17

French Communist Candidate

(N.Z.P.A. •Reuter —Copyright) PARIS, May 6.

The French Communist Party has picked 72-year-old Senator Jacques Duclos as its Presidential candidate after the break-down of efforts to forge a united Left-wing front against the Gaullist, Mr Georges Pompidou.

The party’s central committee chose Mr Duclos, a former pastry-cook, as its candidate a few hours after Mr Waldeck Rochet, the Communist secretary-general had a last-ditch meeting with leaders of the main Socialist Party, the 5.F.1.0. The 5.F.1.0., which has consistently rejected Communist approaches for a united front, chose a Right-Wing Socialist, Mr Gaston Deferre as its Presidential candidate after a long and often chaotic party congress. The announcement that Mr Duclos would stand appeared

likely to help Mr Pompidou’s chances as it can only fragment the already divided Left in the battle for the Presidency. Mr Pompidou who was Prime Minister from 1962 to 1968, has gained the unanimous support of the Gaullists and appears to be the firm favourite to succeed General de Gaulle. After Mr Gaston Deferre, Socialist leader in the National Assembly, won the 5.F.1.0.’s backing, another Left*wing candidate, Mr Alain Savary, dropped out. The other remaining candidate is Mr Michael Rocard, secretary-general of the small extreme Left P.S.U. Party. There are also a number of private candidates, including a builder from Normandy who wants to abolish income tax. Centrist politicians were debating whether to put forward a candidate of their own. The obvious Centrist candidate, the interim President, Mr Alain Poher. has not yet made up his mind whether to stand.