FRANCE: To the Left

In her first election since liberation, France moved solidly to the left. Only local offices were at stake—the administrations of 30,000 communities. But the results clearly indicated the nation's political drift.

Communists came off with top honors. They polled 25% of the ballots; in the last municipal elections (1935) they polled less than 1%. Socialists and the Resistance fared well. The leadership of the center seemed to be shifting from the Radical Socialists to the Popular Republicans. Rightists met sharp defeat. Of Paris' 90 councillors, 27 will now be Communists, twelve Socialists and eight Resistance men. Ten years ago the left won only 25 seats. In general, the big cities—Marseilles, Bordeaux, Lyons, Lille, Rouen —followed Paris' leftward lead.

Women voted for the first time in French history. On the registration lists they outnumbered men (13,800,000 to 9,200,000), swelled the voting turnout to 18,000,000, by far the largest in any French election.

In Echigey (pop. 159), a village of north central France, a full slate of women councillors was elected. The men candidates demanded a recount.