The contemporary political history of the French Republic

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Presidential Elections In France Defy Polls; Rightist Candidates Make Gains
By Jean-Louis Salfati, The Militant, 15 May 1995. In a presidential election marked by the economic crisis in France and the beginnings of working-class resistance, Socialist Jospin came out ahead in the first round. Paris mayor Chirac, one of the two candidates of the Gaullist Rally for the Republic (RPR), the principal capitalist party, came in second.
Protests mount as France conducts second nuke test
By Jim Genova, People's Weekly World, 7 October 1995. On Oct. 1 France conducted the second of eight planned nuclear tests in Polynesia, despite continued and increasing international protests against the tests.
Clashes Erupt After French Anti-Le Pen March
Reuter, 9 December 1995. Demonstrators protesting against French extreme-right leader Jean-Marie Le Pen clashed with police in the Alpine city of Grenoble. Earlier, a crowd estimated by police at 13,000 people marched through Grenoble in a protest against the growing strength of the National Front in France.
On the Death of Mitterrand
By Olu Sarr, Weekly Press Review, 24 January 1996. In death, Mr. Francois Mitterrand looms large to many but to others his political image remains forever tarnished and the French-language African media reflected these feelings.
French government uses elections to widen assault on working class
The Organizer, May 1997. The Organizer interview with the national secretary of the Workers Party in France about the meaning of the elections and their relation to France's efforts to meet the terms and conditions set forth by the Maastricht Treaty.
French Elections
By Lester S., 27 May 1997. Prime Minister Alain Juppe announced plans to step down. Neofeudalist Juppe attempted to institute policies which would have Americanized the French economy.
Impact of Left Victory on Privatizations Noted
By Nathalie Bensahel, Agnes Laurent, and Edourad Launet, Paris Liberation, 28 May 1997. The employees of Renault Vilvoorde [Belgium] find their fate is to be reconsidered. The incredible soap-opera of Thomson's privatization suddenly comes to an end, with a number of consequences for the fate of Dassault and Aerospatiale. Air France's thorny file is reopened.
French Unions want a 10 per cent minimum wage increase
By Adam Sage, The Times, 10 June 1997. Prime Minister Jospin came under pressure from his Communist allies to raise the minimum wage and shelve plans to modernise the financially troubled state transport sector. The difficulties facing M Jospin as he tries to find a path between the conflicting demands of French labour and his European partners.
France shows way with childcare
By Alexandra Fean, London Times, 13 June 1997. In France childcare is free and there is a long and accepted tradition of early childhood education in the public sector.
Socialists in U-turn over £5bn sale of Telecom
By Susannah Herbert, The Daily Telegraph, 27 June 1997. France's Left-wing government plans to sell almost half of France Telecom this autumn, backtracking on an election promise to halt privatisations.
French Premier Finds Honeymoon in Eclipse
By Craig R. Whitney, New York Times, 3 July 1997. Elected only a month ago, Jospin is not only being taken to task by his opponents for not trying harder to cut the government deficit so that France can join in a common European currency, but also by his supporters for not doing more about jobs.
French Premier proposes cutting Workweek
By Roger Cohen, New York Times, 11 October 1997. Facing an abrupt rise in interest rates that could slow the economy, French Prime Minister Lionel Jospin on Friday proposed a law to cut the French workweek to 35 hours from 39 hours as a means to create jobs.