FRANCE: Upsurge

The Grand Electors of France turned out last week to elect a new Council of the Republic, the government’s upper house. Some came from Paris and the big cities. But the great majority were prosperous, pipe-smoking farmers. In leather gaiters and stained, shapeless hats, and smelling of the land in which they were rooted, they represented the traditional backbone of France.

How did they feel about Communist sabotage of their country’s economy? What did they think of the mumbling impotence of coalition governments? Their answer was an overwhelming vote for Charles de Gaulle. Almost complete returns showed that of the 269 Council seats (another 51 will be filled by overseas candidates not yet elected), 99 went to Gaullists, 50 to Radical Socialists, and 48 to Socialists. The Communists, who controlled 85 votes in the outgoing Council, got only 16. Most of the M.R.P. electors voted for De Gaulle’s R.P.F.

What did the elections mean? Though not a completely accurate reflection of popular sentiment, they confirmed significant trends: 1) the continuing upsurge of Gaullist strength; 2) a mild revival of the Radical Socialists, the nearest French approximation to U.S. Republicans; 3) the decline of the Communists; and 4) the final collapse of the M.R.P.

De Gaulle’s party and other conservative groups would have a majority in the upper house. If he used this strength to paralyze crucial government legislation, De Gaulle would probably be able to wreck Henri Queuille’s shaky government.