Chirac's Right Trounces Left in French Election
With all but 12 of the 577 constituencies declared, President Jacques Chirac's center-right allies took 392 seats.
The socialists and other leftists, who won just 173 seats, were left pondering how to respond to their crushing defeat, told AFP.
The result hands the conservatives the power to deliver on Chirac's re-election campaign promises of extra resources for law and order and a pro-business program of reforms including a 30 percent cut in tax on personal and corporate income.
"Five years to change France," ran the front-page headline on ***Le Figaro***, a pro-Chirac national daily.
The left vowed to work out where it had gone wrong.
"In the coming months, the Socialist Party must work out why this happened," Socialist Party leader Francois Hollande said on Europe 1 Radio.
The parliamentary triumph ended five years of power sharing between a socialist-led government and Chirac, whose role was reduced to that of a figurehead president during the awkward period of "cohabitation".
It also closed off two months of voting that started and ended with mass apathy -- with a brief interlude when millions hit the streets in protest after a shock score by the far right.
The anti-immigrant National Front failed to cash in on the shock score that catapulted leader Jean-Marie le Pen into the presidential runoff against Chirac eight weeks earlier, ending up empty-handed as the nation returned to mainstream voting.
"Never in the past 34 years has the right wing scored such a victory," interim Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy said on Sunday, drawing a parallel with a Gaullist conservative backlash after the May 1968 student riots.
But the size of the win left the French asking themselves whether they had given too much power to the right.
"This result puts too much power in one hand, I think," said Maurice Sebban, 52, a taxi driver who called himself a centrist.
"But then the left had power for five years and could have done what they liked -- and they didn't deliver." --- Down to Business --- Jean-Pierre Raffarin, Prime Minister of a stop-gap government after Chirac's re-election, promised to do all the 69-year-old president pledged -- crack down on crime, cut tax, ease labor regulations and overhaul the pension system.
Raffarin was due to offer his resignation to Chirac later on Monday morning in a symbolic act, though he was widely expected to be re-appointed after impressing voters with his common touch during his brief period at the head of the government.
He was set to name a similar, more permanent team on Tuesday and replace Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres, interim European Affairs Minister -- who is under judicial inquiry in connection with a suspected political funding scam -- party officials said.
Sunday's result capped off a disastrous run for the left, which began on April 21 with the failure of the party's candidate for the presidential election, Lionel Jospin, to qualify for a runoff against Chirac.
"This is a sad period, but one of reconstruction," Bertrand Delanoe, Socialist Mayor of Paris, said on RTL Radio. "We'll try to reconstruct something the French people regard as relevant." --- Left Stung --- Socialist Laurent Fabius, a prime minister in the 1980s and finance minister in the Jospin government, could do little more than lament the outcome of the double elections.
"In May, the people of France voted no to the extreme right.
Then they voted no to cohabitation. We will rebuild with a program that inspires people," he said on Sunday.
There was no word from Jospin, who bowed out of politics in April after Le Pen beat him to the final presidential duel.
Martine Aubry, the daughter of one-time European commission president Jacques Delors who championed the introduction of the 35-hour work week for the left, lost her seat in northern France on Sunday and struggled to hold back tears on television.
Other victims included Robert Hue, who also ran for president on behalf of the ailing communist party, which fared badly along with the Ecologist Greens. Both parties had junior roles in the socialist-led coalition that ruled from 1997.
An estimated 39 percent of voters stayed away from polling stations in Sunday's parliamentary runoff, a record abstention rate in the history of the fifth republic that was established by General de Gaulle in 1958.
bc-france-election (update 2, picture) france-election (update 2, picture):update 2-chirac's right trounces left in french election (recasts with reaction from party officials, popular reaction) by paul carrel paris, june 17 (reuters) - france's centre-right government looked forward to getting down to business on monday after winning a massive majority in parliamentary elections.
with all but 12 of the 577 constituencies declared, president jacques chirac's centre-right allies took 392 seats.
the socialists and other leftists, who won just 173 seats, were left pondering how to respond to their crushing defeat.
the result hands the conservatives the power to deliver on chirac's re-election campaign promises of extra resources for law and order and a pro-business programme of reforms including a 30 percent cut in tax on personal and corporate income.
"five years to change france," ran the front-page headline on le figaro, a pro-chirac national daily.
the left vowed to work out where it had gone wrong.
"in the coming months, the socialist party must work out why this happened," socialist party leader francois hollande said on europe 1 radio.
the parliamentary triumph ended five years of power sharing between a socialist-led government and chirac, whose role was reduced to that of a figurehead president during the awkward period of "cohabitation".
it also closed off two months of voting that started and ended with mass apathy -- with a brief interlude when millions hit the streets in protest after a shock score by the far right.
the anti-immigrant national front failed to cash in on the shock score that catapulted leader jean-marie le pen into the presidential runoff against chirac eight weeks earlier, ending up empty-handed as the nation returned to mainstream voting.
"never in the past 34 years has the right wing scored such a victory," interim interior minister nicolas sarkozy said on sunday, drawing a parallel with a gaullist conservative backlash after the may 1968 student riots.
but the size of the win left the french asking themselves whether they had given too much power to the right.
"this result puts too much power in one hand, i think," said maurice sebban, 52, a taxi driver who called himself a centrist.
"but then the left had power for five years and could have done what they liked -- and they didn't deliver." down to business jean-pierre raffarin, prime minister of a stop-gap government after chirac's re-election, promised to do all the 69-year-old president pledged -- crack down on crime, cut tax, ease labour regulations and overhaul the pension system.
raffarin was due to offer his resignation to chirac later on monday morning in a symbolic act, though he was widely expected to be re-appointed after impressing voters with his common touch during his brief period at the head of the government.
he was set to name a similar, more permanent team on tuesday and replace renaud donnedieu de vabres, interim european affairs minister -- who is under judicial inquiry in connection with a suspected political funding scam -- party officials said.
sunday's result capped off a disastrous run for the left, which began on april 21 with the failure of the party's candidate for the presidential election, lionel jospin, to qualify for a runoff against chirac.
"this is a sad period, but one of reconstruction," bertrand delanoe, socialist mayor of paris, said on rtl radio. "we'll try to reconstruct something the french people regard as relevant." left stung socialist laurent fabius, a prime minister in the 1980s and finance minister in the jospin government, could do little more than lament the outcome of the double elections.
"in may, the people of france voted no to the extreme right.
then they voted no to cohabitation. we will rebuild with a programme that inspires people," he said on sunday.
there was no word from jospin, who bowed out of politics in april after le pen beat him to the final presidential duel.
martine aubry, the daughter of one-time european commission president jacques delors who championed the introduction of the 35-hour work week for the left, lost her seat in northern france on sunday and struggled to hold back tears on television.
other victims included robert hue, who also ran for president on behalf of the ailing communist party, which fared badly along with the ecologist greens. both parties had junior roles in the socialist-led coalition that ruled from 1997.
an estimated 39 percent of voters stayed away from polling stations in sunday's parliamentary runoff, a record abstention rate in the history of the fifth republic that was established by general de gaulle in 1958.