Stalinists Give Boost to Giscard Campaign

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GISCARD: 7 TROUS EN PLUS A LA CEINTURE Unité contre Giscard I austérité!

LIGUE COMMUNISTE REVCLUTIONNAIRE Marchais and CP leaders march in support of Mayor of Vitry "I am standing in this election as a citizen-candidate not a presidentcandidate. I will not use my position as president to gain unfair advantage over the other candidates."

So said Giscard d'Estaing in a 20 minute item on the news very reminiscent of the Queen's Speech at Christmas.

Like all his other promises, he has not had any intention of keeping this one.

Giscard has over his last seven years of office developed in pomposity ana aspir ations to be the King of His arrogant attitude to the struggles of workers and the growing numbers of unemployed; his glittering visits to Black Africa and his defence and boosting of the "greatness of France" and encouragement of nationalism belie his belated attempts at ordinariness.

The French Presidential elections take place in two rounds, the first being on 26 April and the second round on 10 May-a run-off between the two best-placed candidates.

It is worth looking at the record of Giscard since 1974 to see if there can be any credibility put in those "reform" elements in the President's party, the UDF, who say in a new seven year term reforms would be carried out.

Right wing

Seven years ago Giscard stood on a platform of "reform", "change" , "openness" and proclaimed his intention of "governing in the centre"

But in fact his term has represented a classic right wing position.

Like Thatcher in Britain, he has carried out, in collusion with Raymond Barre, the Prime Minister, a policy of major attacks on the workers' movement.

Unemployment is now nearly two million with the heaviest toll being exacted among youth.

The rise in prices, rents and social service charges have continually driven down the conditions of workers. The laws which have been proposed to restrict civil liberties have led to massive repression (particuiarly of immigrants). to censorship of the press and te restrictions on the rights di arised and those in prs= Castess on ihe SCSS= ::e Gies:

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choice Desit=: = cRai iTaIS ?! aas brought ime it colliden with antide: demonstrators.

He has needed to offer Fat as a third choice SETSET Washington and Miso in his diplomacy • is heads of African 5zi5 :. which he has set Ki. Sue.

Giscard

He has still to live down his friendship with Emperor Bokassa, now proved to be a cannibalistic murderer and dictator of the impoverished Central African Republic.

Desperately embarrassed at the revelations of his acceptance of 'presents' of jewelry worth hundreds of thousands of francs, Giscard has attempted to gag the press, such as the dally Le Monde, with court orders.

His latest attempt to dazzle the electorate has been the agreement just signed with the West German government in a blatant pre-election manoeuvre.

His boosting of trade with the Soviet Union and his refusal to be such a puppet of US imperialist policy as say the British government has paid off.

Pravda has divided its support between Marchais, the Communist Party candidate "for class solidarity" and Giscard "because of his foreign policy"

Clearly the Kremlin's so-called "support" for Marchais is just a ritual thing.

Presumably in the second round of the election where the candidates will doubtless be Giscard and Mitterand, the Socialist Party candidate. the bureaucrats in Moscow all ague is: a vote fOr GiS3::

Tie Frai Cassurr Psy. one week! maxe:

#43= = VEEDi SIKES Nan BENiD* "E Cr led CGT union if Mitterand is elected.

Since Giscard sees Mitterand as his main rival to the "throne" he has centred his attack on him.

"It seems to me that there are three issues concerning the French Mitterand Chirac people-peace, unity and work. My listeners (at election meetings) have understood the importance and the precision of my plan for jobs.

They do not want demagogic or illusionary propositions but a well-thought out methodical, calculated, real This is an allusion to Mitterand's woolly proposals. He has put forward a six-point plan for jobs:

"1. Selective regenerating of the economy.

2) An • organised tion to 35 hour week.

3. A large national ment for industry.

4. The creation of Marchais Laguiller Electoral support for Mitterand would be tö secure a position where workers can make derrands of the SP, break from their illusions and create better conditions for the development of a party which will not betray that trust.

Giscard is also challenged from the right by a strong contender Chirac who has concentrated on economic reform, for the renegotiation of the Treaty of Rome and for monetary stability.

The citizens of Paris have unwittingly paid for large poor live to among French workers who in conditions similar the immigrant workers.

The CP has tried to rally its own members on the basis that the Party is now -deservedly -assalled from all sides as a result of their reactionary campaign.

Paid the price

The Stalinist union confederation, the CGT, has paid the price of the new CP policy.

Many immigrant workers have left the union and have joined either the SP-dominated CFDT union or the more right wing Force Ouvriere.

The CP will certainly lose votes and credibility because ot its racist, ciass collaboratonist policies.

The Presidential elections are always held up as being open to anyone to stand.

This is not the case. 500 signatures from elected representatives are needed to get a candidate onto the ballot paper.

Alain Krivine of the LCR (section of the United Secretariat of the Fourth International) failed to get the necessary number.

A vote in the first round should therefore be given to Arlette Laguiller of the Lutte Ouvriere group.

She is calling for "a vote of defiance so that the workers give a lesson and a warning to the leaders of the major left parties" . She makes it clear that she aoes not think the elections will result in any real change in society.

"The reality of power is in the hands of those with money, the hands of the major famiies, in the hands of the national and international monopolies."

She bases herself on the interests of the working class and on its needs to struggle against whatever candidate wins the election.