The second ballots of the French elections last Sunday confirmed
the character of the voting on the previou# Sunday. M. Poimcare has gained a decisive victory. In the last Chamber the Democratic Republican Union; composed of M. Poincare's most faithful followers, num- bered 122 ; in the new Chamber they will number 158. He will, of course, be able to rely on two other parties— the Republicans and the Radical Republicans. Alto- gether he will have a normal following of 312 in a Chamber of 612 members. Moreover, he is almost sure to receive some support from the Socialist Radicals, who are divided among themselves. These Socialist Radicals are not a happy party ; owing to their quarrels they managed their bargaining badly after the first ballots, and their strength has fallen from 136 to 117. The general move- ment of opinion as revealed by the elections is from the Left Centre to Right Centre. The Socialists have lost a very few seats, but their actual voting strength is greater than ever. Altogether, M. Poincare has received the sanction which he demanded to continue his great financial campaign for saving the franc. The attempt to restore the Cartel has been an entire failure.
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