POLITICS IN FRANCE

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 30, 28 September 1931, Page 6

POLITICS IN FRANCE

PARTIES AND POWER INCREASED UNEIYIPLOYMENT. Some aspects of the French political system w'ere mentioned by Mr G. . S. Troup, who returned to Wellington by the Ulimaroa after having heen for nearly a year and a-half managing secretary at an international students' hostel ih Paris. Mr Troup said that no and his wife were returning earlier than they had expected, the reason heing the refusal of the French Department of Labour to allow them as j foreigners to work on a salary in j France^ 1 " While this is a disappointment," Mr Troup said, " it must he realised in justice to the French Government that we were allowed in without any j difficulty, although almost any other European country or the United States would have demanded financial and other guarantees that we would not accept employment. New Zealand herself has always restricted certain types of immigration, and now that unemployment is greater the restrietions are greater also. " France's unemployment has heen steadily increasing until at present something like 1,250,000 people are either wholly or partially unemployed. This is what led the French Government to take the step they did and which resulted in myself and others being forced to relinquish positions and appointments. For my own job a very good man has been found and the work should go ahead under him. He is single, at present, hut such a disability is not chronic. Anyway, the future of our enterpnse seems assured." Mr Troup went on to speak of the existing French Government. At present, he said, with the elections slowly approaching, politicians were devoting kbout half an eye to the affairs of State and the remaining eye and a-half to " vote-catching " and methods of ingratiating tliemselves with the electors. The Government in power was a sort of coalition drawn from the moderate right, moderate left, and centre sections of the Chamber. It was the remains of tlic nationalir.t coalition formed by Poincare in 1926 to rehabilitate the franc. Bargaining for Oflice.

The French political system was rather colourful, Mr Troup said. There were nine or ten different parties loosely organised under a ■ leader, so that no single party coutl j assume power, and when a Governi rnent was overthrown the Presideni j had to consult with the main party leaders and call the man who was most likely to gain a hig enough following to take over the Government. I This man generally went round the J different party leaders with his noteI hook and pencil, so to speak, and con- | ducted with them what was really 0 1 kind of bargaining. He explained his I platform to them, emphasising where 1 he could the portions which were acceptable to the particular group with whom he was dealing, and then, afts" offering them perhaps three or four seats in the Cabinet, would ask how many votes they could give him. If his additions came oat all right he would tell the President that he could form a Ministry. If he could not/lTe failed.