BY NAOMI CRAINE
French president Jacques Chirac took a blow in the first round of legislative elections May 25. He had called the vote a year earlier than required in hopes of getting a renewed mandate for the ruling coalition of his Rally for the Republic (RPR) party and the French Democratic Union (UDF) to press for austerity measures. Instead, Chirac's gamble backfired, and the highest vote went to the opposition Socialist Party, which took 23.7 percent. The Gaullist RPR and the UDF took 15.6 percent and 14.3 percent respectively. Together with the Communist Party and other "left" groups, the Socialist-led opposition had an eight- point lead over the ruling parties.

The election was "not only the sharpest of rebuffs for President Chirac," declared a May 27 editorial in London's Financial Times, "it is also a warning for the next French government."

In hopes of salvaging the governing coalition, Prime Minister Alain Juppé announced May 26 that he will resign regardless of who wins the second round of the election, to be held June 1. Several candidates in the coalition distanced themselves from Juppé by declining offers by the prime minister to speak at their campaign rallies.

Juppé has been in the forefront of pushing the government's assaults on working people. His attempts to cut social gains and lay off public workers in the face of high unemployment - currently 12.8 percent -have sparked large strikes and protest actions by workers, youth, and others over the last two years.

The fascist National Front party, headed by Jean-Marie Le Pen, received 15 percent of the first round vote, its best showing yet in a national election.  
 
 
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