Australian Left Review
Article Title
France Goes to the Polls
Abstract
The present political situation in France could hardly be described as simple. A few months ago, however, it looked fairly cut and dried - at least up to a certain point. The Union of the Left looked certain to win the elections in March 1978. The left had just won the local elections throughout France with two-thirds ofthe municipalities electing communist or socialist mayors. Paris itself, despite the fact that its working class base had been eroded by the pressure of hign rents and “development” projects, just failed to have a communist by 2,700 votes. Then there was May 24, the day o f the national strike. The demonstration in Paris was over 16 kilometres long - the atmosphere was festive; the smell of victory was in the air for the first time since May ’68.