French Socialists gain

Press, 28 February 1986, Page 6

French Socialists gain

NZPA-Reuter Paris France’s governing Socialists are whittling away the Opposition’s lead in the race for the General Election on’ March 16, according to an opinion poll published yesterday. The poll done for “Le Figaro” newspaper gave the Socialists 29 per cent of the vote, up from 27.5 per cent in mid-February, enough to give them 195 seats out of the 555 to be disputed in metropolitan France.

The opposition alliance of the Centre-Right U.D.F. and the Gaullist R.P.R.

was shown as winning 43.5 per cent of the vote, down 1.5 per cent. The poll predicted a slim over-all majority of 16 seats for the U.D.F.R.P.R. Analysts said this could well evaporate in the remaining 2J4 weeks if the Socialists maintained their recovery. Under the modified proportional voting system the R.P.R. and U.D.F. have to win at least 43 per cent of the vote to be sure of controlling the National Assembly. Another 22 deputies will be elected by overseas departments and terri-

tories, putting more uncertainty to the result. The poll credited the Communists with only 9.5 per cent of the vote compared with 11 per cent two weeks ago. The Socialists have been bidding hard for support among the Communist electorate, arguing that a vote for the Communist ticket will be wasted. The poll gave 8.5 per cent support to the ex-treme-Right National Front, enough to give it 29 seats compared with the Communists’ 36.