France: Communists, Socialists and King Charles

Some people have asked whether the French municipal elections of 1965 would produce another Popular Front—even if this phrase could hardly mean today what it did in 1984. More precisely, the question has been raised whether the French Socialist party, seduced by Communist sirens, would conclude a close alliance with the CP and so, in effect, sign its death warrant. Still, it is worth nothing that the average Frenchman did not ask himself this question. And the reason he didn’t is that the French Socialist party has fought these elections in much the same way it had fought all the elections since 1945 and many before that.

For a long time now the Socialists have picked their election allies to fit their political interests ...