General de Gaulle and the Left
Some weeks ago General de Gaulle found himself openly at variance with the Consultative Assembly over the question of the electoral system and the referendum, and since then feeling hostile to the course favoured by the General has become more intense among the Left Wing parties. The feeling has not been diminished by his refusal to discuss the electoral system with a delegation from these parties led by M. Jouhaux, Secretary General of the C.G.T. (which corresponds to our T.U.C.). He did so on the ground that the C.G.T. has no right to take part in political activities Technically, there seems justification for objecting to an industrial organisation intervening on a purely political issue—that applies to trade unions elsewhere than in France—but how far it was wise to refuse to see so influential a deputation is another matter. His grounds of refusal were interpreted by his critics as a pretext for shirking discussion, though it is known that he has talked with M. Leon Blum and also with M. Maze, of the Radical-Socialist Party. General de Gaulle's answer to these charges has been to come out into the open with a broadcast speech (last Tuesday), in which he appealed directly to the French people, and asked for their support. In his main objective, the ultimate establishment of a constitution which would free France from constant changes of government, he has a cause to which a strong body of French opinion will rally, but suspicion of a de Gaulle dictatorship is strong, and France will vote for no arrangement which gives the executive carte blanche for the seven months during which the constitution is being drafted.
Previous page
