Word: bourges
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: during 1950-1959
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
...been called into special session by Premier Maurice Bourgès-Maunoury. Confronting France was another U.N. debate on Algeria-likely to end in formal censure of France unless it produced some alternative to bloody repression. Four months ago when he took office as the youngest Premier of the century (and 23rd since the war), Bourgès-Maunoury conceded that "force alone" could not hold Algeria. Force alone would also not satisfy the Socialists and the Catholic M.R.P., whose support his minority government needs to survive. Over violent objections from his own Cabinet, Radical Socialist Bourgès-Maunoury...
...Premier desperately summoned the chiefs of all France's "democratic" parties (but not the Communists or the extreme right Poujadists) to a round-table conference to achieve an "expression of large national will." After two days of hard bargaining for the support of Soustelle and the conservative Independents, Bourgès-Maunoury agreed that the federal council would not be established in Algeria until 18 months after the cessation of rebellion in all parts of the country-which might well mean never. In addition, he agreed to drop from the law any mention of future transfer to the federal...
Jeered at for his indifferent oratory, sometimes shouted down by the Deputies, Bourgès-Maunoury retreated again. Unhappily he agreed that suffrage in Algeria should continue to be weighted in favor of Europeans. At week's end, declaring that "it is impossible for me to make further concessions," the weary Premier shut off debate and demanded a vote of confidence on the loi-cadre this week. "Fascist!" cried the Poujadists. "It takes one to tell one," rejoined Bourgès-Maunoury...
...turned out to be more progressive than first hints indicated (TIME, Sept. 2). Under the Bourgès plan Algeria would be divided into autonomous federal territories, each with its own legislative assembly, elected by Moslems and Europeans on a basis of "universal, equal and secret suffrage" (voting now is weighted in favor of Europeans). Although the government's draft law did not say so, the territories would probably be so carved that Europeans would control two assemblies, and Moslems the other four. After a two-year cooling-off period, during which France would seek to end the fighting...
Though the plan said nothing about granting independence to Algeria, its critics argued that once fighting stopped "no French government would dare start it up again," and in creating an Algerian assembly, France was in effect creating a legitimate body that would soon be demanding the right of secession.* Bourgès' own Defense Minister, tall, slim André Morice threatened to resign on grounds that "this is going too far" toward independence. If Bourgès can convince his own Assembly that he has not gone too far, France must then convince the U.N. that it has gone...