Centre-right takes lead in French campaign

Date: 15/05/1997

FRENCH President Jacques Chirac looks set to win his political gamble of calling a snap general election to prepare the way for single currency membership in less than two years' time.

As French voters prepare to go to the polls in the first round of the elections next Sunday (25 May), the centre-right government has established a comfortable lead over the opposition Socialists.

On current predictions, the government looks set to win around 40&percent; of the vote and a parliamentary majority of more than 100 seats. It is, however, having to overcome suspicions that a centre-right victory would herald an era of even greater financial austerity in preparation for the euro.

“Let us not be ungrateful towards Europe. If we have peace in Europe, it is due to European integration,” insisted Prime Minister Alain Juppé this week as he campaigned for victory and his own political survival.

Just days after French voters deliver their final verdict on 1 June, another EU member state, Ireland, is due to go to the polls. Premier John Bruton is today (15 May) expected to call an election for 6 June.

Despite Ireland's economic boom, opinion polls suggest victory for Bruton's three-party coalition is far from certain. But a change of government would be unlikely to upset plans to complete the Intergovernmental Conference negotiations by mid-June.

Although the outgoing coalition would be at the Amsterdam summit in a caretaker role, there is little difference between the parties on European issues and the IGC's outcome would have to be put to a referendum anyway.