The First Round in France The results of the first
ballot in the .French Elections have the interest of great confusion. On one point, however, they throw a clear light : for the size of the poll shows that, in spite of the quietness of the election cam- paign, the French people is neither apathetic nor indif- ferent to parliamentary institutions. The Front Popu- laire seems assured of a majority in the next Chamber, but it will not be a large one, and it is already clear that the Left is not united enough to form a permanent and coherent bloc ; particularly since the most striking gains in the first ballot were made by the Communists. They now seem certain of anything from 40 to 60 scats, a number large enough to make their support essential to any Left Government. The extreme Right has also gained, and it is the Radicals who have suffered by the expected swing to extremes. Their losses have made them even more sceptical of the value of the Front Popu- laire, though M. Herriot has profited by the decision of its Socialist and Communist sections to support him on second ballot ; and their doubts will probably have a considerable effect on their attitude in the next Chamber. It is unfortunate that, unless the manoeuvres of the Front Populaire give a result in the second ballot very different from the first, the elections will not assure France of the strong and stable Government she needs : and the success of the extreme parties is not a good augury for the political struggles which lie ahead.
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