The center-right coalition which has governed France for the last 20 years was returned to power yesterday beating the Socialist-Communist alliance and ensuring a continuation of France’s traditional policy in the Middle East. Though France, under a Gaullist leadership and three consecutive presidents, has practiced a generally pro-Arab and anti-Israel policy, many observers here feared that a Socialist-Communist regime would be even more biased against Israel.
The current coalition, led by Premier Raymond Barre, wan a majority of 89 seats in the 491-strong National Assembly. Political circles speculate, however, that President Valery Giscard d’Estaing will appoint Jewish Health Minister Simone Veil as his successor. Mrs. Veil, a 50-year-old former Auschwitz deportee, is considered a liberal likely to renew links with certain Socialists. Public opinion polls describe her as France’s most popular public figure. There has been no confirmation from official sources as to Giscard’s plan to appoint Mrs. Veil.
Several of Israel’s best friends were reelected yesterday. Among them is Paris Gaullist Claude Gerard Marcus; Nice Mayor Jacques Mededin, and Paris Christian Democrat, Gen. Whislain de Benouville.
Several Jews were also elected. Among them are the former junior minister in charge of overseas territories, Olivier Stirn; and jean-Pierre Bloch, an Elysee aide to President Giscard d’Estaing. Another Jewish junior minister, Lionel Stoleru, Deputy Secretary of Labor, was beaten by a Socialist.
Among those beaten is Jacques Soustelle, a former minister and one of Israel’s best friends in France. Also defeated, however, were several public figures who generally espouse the Arab cause. Among them is Gaullist Raymond Offroy, president of the European Parliamentary Commission of Friendship with the Arab States, and Socialists Lionel Jospin and Georges Sarre, also described as friendly to the Palestinians.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
