FRENCH ELECTION

New Zealand Times, Volume LIV, Issue 12651, 11 January 1927, Page 7

FRENCH ELECTION

CARTEL WILL BE REVIVED

OPPOSITION GAIN IN SENATE POINCARE’S MAJORITY REDUCED MANY OLD MEMBERS REJECTED | Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. PARIS, January 9. ! Very keen interest is being taken in the Senatorial olections to-day. Senators hold office for nine years, and one-tliird qf them retire every three years. This year there will also he two by-elections, and, therefore, 107 Senators will be elected from 32 departments. MM. Caillaux, Millerand. Barthou, Steeg, Clementel, and De Selves, President qf the Senate, are among those seeking re-election, while the Deputies who are candidates include MM. Haou) Peret and Marcel Cachin. The dominant issue of the election is the Left Party’s struggle to increase their representation. A few seats gained would give them an absolute majority. SENATE PRESIDENT REJECTED (Received Janfuary 10, 7.20 p.m.) PARIS, January 10. Official election statistics show that the Cartel of the Left has gained nine

seats, and the Radical Socialists have lost three, but the Socialists have gained eight, the Republican Socialists two, and the Communists two.

Out of 108 Senators, 67 are elected for the first time, and 41 re-elected. M. De Selves was defeated.

Before the election the seats where old members were defeated were occupied as follows: — Conservatives 2 Republicans 17 Left Republicans' 27' Independent Radicals 10 Socialist Radicals and Re- ■ publican Socialists 50 Socialists 3 These are now, as the result of the election, occupied as follows: Conservatives 3 Republicans 19 Left Republicans 19 Independent Radicals 9 Socialist Radicals 44 Republican Socialists 2 Socialists 10 Communists 2

The most sensational results were recorded in Paris, where .so far no Socialist is elected.

The suocess of the Opposition was due to the Communists, who voted for Radical Socialists instead of their awn candidates. The Socialist success means the* revival of the Cartel between the Radical Socialists and the Socialists, which triumphed in the Ohnmber elections of 1924. The probable result is that M. Poincare’s majority will be dangerously reduced. It is expected that M. Caillaux will be asked t<i succeed M. De Selves in the Presidency of the Senate. He will thus bcomfi head of the court of justice which sentenced him a decade ago.

Those elected include MM. Barthou, Peret, Caillaux, and Clementel,. M. Millerand, formerly President of the Republic, was defeated on the second ballot.