Left gives Chirac a stunning rebuff

Communist votes and the Conservative Chirac, who called the snap election in hopes of ensuring himself a majority for his remaining five years in office.

The Opposition socialists, Communists, extreme-Left and other-Left candidates were set to capture about 41 per cent of the first-round vote, with the ruling RPR-UDF coalition and other moderate-right candidates scoring around 36.5 per cent.

The extreme-Right, Anti-immigration National Front was on course for its best parliamentary score with about 15 per cent. Its leader, Jean-Marie le Pen, called on Chirac to resign.

A record number of votes were cast for fringe, ecologist or extremist parties. Turnout was about 68 per cent, barely less than in 1993 despite voter disenchantment.

The risk of a Left-wing victory sent the Deutsche Mark higher against several European currencies in rare Sunday night trading.

Meanwhile, the British press on Monday was unanimous in judging the first round of the French legislative polls to be a major setback for President Chirac who called the election a year early in a gamble he now risks losing.

The Financial Times said the result in which the combined Left finished several points ahead of the outgoing Gaullist-Liberal coalition was a “stinging rebuke to the ruling centre-right coalition”.

The Times called it a “stinging rebuff for Chirac”. In an editorial headed “Gambler Chirac Left to count his losses”, the conservative Daily Telegraph said the result called into question the political survival of Prime Minister Alain Juppe who The Guardian said was “fighting for his life after a catastrophic result”.

“An election supposed to set a clear direction for France, has only added to confusion,” The Daily Telegraph said, adding: “Had the politicians examined more close ly the electors’ views on Europe, some of the unexpressed contradictions that plagued the nation, would surely have been disclosed.”

“Is it possible, for example, to offer a comprehensive system of social protection while freeing up new businesses to create new jobs?… To these questions, politicians have given a resounding `no comment’,” The Telegraph said.

All the dailies agreed that the second round was “wide open”.