Word: mitterrand
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...There is no heir to Gaullism. Georges Pompidou's death has ended the lineage. It is finished." So declared Socialist Party Leader Francçois Mitterrand, 57, who stands a reasonable chance of breaking Gaullism's 16-year monopoly of the presidency of the Fifth Republic. With twelve candidates running to succeed Pompidou in the May 5 election, public opinion polls last week showed that Socialist Mitterrand, who also has the support of France's formidable Communist Party, is now favored by 40% of the voters. Most of the Gaullist and middle-of-the-road vote...
With the Gaullists divided, it now seems certain that Socialist Mitterrand will win the most votes on the May 5 ballot. A poll published by Le Figaro gave Mitterrand 36% of the vote, Giscard 27% and Chaban 26%. If Mitterrand picks up enough support to win a clean majority-a Gaullist nightmare-he will become Pompidou's successor. The probability is that he will gain somewhat less than 50% of the vote, which means that Mitterrand will then face the second-ranking candidate in a runoff on May 19. Thus the real contest now is between Chaban and Giscard...
Fringe Candidates. Mitterrand's chances of ultimate victory are far from certain. Because the Socialists and Communists constitute less than half of the French electorate, he cannot win on the second ballot unless he gains the support of a large number of Frenchmen who have traditionally feared what might happen if Communists came to power. Mitterrand has tried to allay these fears by portraying himself as a responsible statesman and has stressed his commitment to civil liberties. But at a press conference last week, Mitterrand conceded that if elected, he would appoint Communists to Cabinet posts in his government...
...almost certain that Giscard-who might have been Pompidou's own choice as successor-will seek support from Gaullist liberals and other moderates. The Communists and Socialists, despite their differing views on what ought to be the next President's program, will probably unite behind Mitterrand as a joint leftist candidate...
...recent months, Mitterrand has held well-publicized meetings with West Germany's Willy Brandt and Egypt's Anwar Sadat, and wooed the support of workers with promises of tax reforms, better health care and higher pensions. But his uneasy union with the Communists, which assures him 20% of the vote, also tends to alienate middle-class voters who might otherwise be in the mood for a change...