ELECTIONS IN EUROPE

Greymouth Evening Star, 23 October 1945, Page 5

ELECTIONS IN EUROPE

FRENCH HEAVY POLLING VICTORY FOR DE GAULLE PARIS, October 22. It is clear that yesterday’s General Election in France, the first to be held since before the war, has re-? suited in overwhelming support for General de Gaulle’s policy. The Ministry of the Interior estimates that 85 per cent, of the electorate went to the polls, the biggest vote in the history of France. Incomplete results show that 15 of General de Gaulle’s 24 Ministers have been returned. The Communists have won 151 seats, the Progressive Catholics 142, the Socialists 139, the Right Wing and Independents 40, and the Radicals 19. Both the Progressive Catholics and the Socialists support General de Gaulle, and between them will have a working majority. Observers say that, m general, everything which General de Gaulle asked for has been granted. The great majority of the electors voted for a single chamber. Constituent Assembly and the drafting of a new constitution for the Fourth Republic. By a two to one majority the electors voted in favour of a Bill limiting the Assembly’s powers. s Among those elected are the Minister of War (M. Andre Diethelm), the Minister of the Interior (M. Andrien Tixier), the Minister of the Navy (M. Louis Jacquinot), the Minister of Food (M. Pineau), and the Socialist Party leader (M. Auril Stoeer). „ . M. Daladier, who was Prime Minister at the outbreak of war, has been elected for Avignon. He waged a difficult campaign under a hail of tomatoes, cabbages-, and rffiten eggs. The'Radicals suffered heavily, and even the election of M. Edouard Herriot, a former Prime Minister ana leader of the Radical. Socialist Party appears to be doubtful. So far, II women have been elected. THE POPE’S BROADCAST.

As women were going to the polls for the first time in France, the Pope, in a special broadcast over the Vatican radio, said: “Women, your hour has struck. Ptiblic life needs you. It is your duty to enter public life and to contribute all your strength to its organisation.” ~ , His Holiness added that an immense task awaited women m public life, in which they would be concerned in putting forward proposals relating to domestic life. It was the function of politics to consolidate and to give to every family in every walk of life the economic, jundicial, and ethical conditions necessary, for their existence and development in a peaceful community. ~ “Women cannot admit that politics should mean the dominance of one class over another, or territorial and economic expansion resulting in the oppression of others, said tne Pone. “They know that such a policy would greatly harm the family who would have to foot the kill, paving a heavy price in blood and property. No truly wise woman would countenance a policy of class struggle or war. The path of women to the polls is the path of peace.

■ LATEST FIGURES (Recd. 11 a.m.) PARIS, Oct. 22. Latest official figures:-—-Referendum 13,887,072 for a Single Assembly, 554,750 against. r .„ npr „ l 9,582,210 voted in favour of Geneiai de Gaulle’s proposals for a Chamber and 4,841,249 against. . The state of the parties is. Communists 151, Catholic Left 142, Socialists 139. Right-Wingers 40, Independents 40, Radicals 19. , DALADIER & HERRIOT. (Rec. 11.15 a - m^ A R ISj October 22. French authorities for the ’third time corrected the announcement oi the result of M. Daladier’s candidature, and now say that he was narrowly elected as a Radical in the Vaucluse Department. M. Hernot was also narrowly elected as a Radical. He was seventh on the list of eight successful candidates. LAVAL’S BURI AL. (Rec. 11.5 a a^Q^ DON , October 22. After relations had asked for Laval to be reburied at Chateldori, in his native Auvergne, three grave-diggers, working by torchlight early this morning, exhumed Laval’s body from “traitors’ corner” in Fresnes Prison, says Reuters’ Paris correspondent. His body was reinterred in the same place after a Police Commission conferred with a higher authority.

LUXEMBURG POLLINGS GOVERNMENT RETURNED LUXEMBURG, October 22. The existing Government of Luxemburg, consisting of a Catholic and Socialist coalition, scored a sweeping victory at the national election. The Government won 34 seats, oi the total of 51. The Communists scored new gains in the Luxemburg City constituency and also in the southern provinces, but at the final counting had only five seats. ITALIANELECTIONS. LONDON, October 21. The Italian elections have been postponed until-the early Spring. This was announced to-day by the Minister in charge of election arrangements in. Italy. He said it had originally been intended that the elections should be held before the Winter io elect a constitutional Assembly, which would decide whether Italy would become a monarchy or have a republican constitution. The Minister gave three reasons for the postponement of the elections. The first was that the Allies were still in military occupation of Italy, the second was that Italy had not yet obtained a peace treaty, and the third that no electoral lists had been compiled for the devastated cities.

HUNGARIAN POSTPONEMENT

LONDON, October 21. “The Hungarian General Election may be postponed or become a popular vote on a list of candidates agreed upon in advance between all the parties,” says the Budapest correspondent of the “Daily Express.” “Members of the Conserative Smallholders’ Party, which recently won a spectacular victory in the Budapest municipal elections, privately say they are afraid that a revolution might break out should they win a majority in the General Election. They therefore welcomed Marshal Voroshilov’s suggestiori that the parties should agree to put up a joint list of candidates on a 50-50 basis.” AUSTRIAN GOVT. VIENNA, Oct. 20. JJr. Renner’s Provisional Government of Austria was officially recognised on Saturday by the four Powers on the Allied Control Council for Austria, according to a communique issued after a five hours’ meeting. The Renner Government is to be 'extended to all Austria, but no details are Piven of the powers still reserved by the Control Council.