Suddenly, Politics!

For seven years the giant shadow of Charles de Gaulle has all but blacked out the Frenchman's interest in domestic politics. Hence the giant yawn that greeted De Gaulle's announced intention to succeed himself in the first direct presidential election in France since 1848. The nation seemed in for a pointless campaign and another seven years' imperium. But suddenly last week the picture changed. As the official two-week campaign got under way, De Gaulle's opposition -- five candidates in all -- proved far more alive and kicking than anyone had anticipated.

It was that little white window to the people, the government's television --long the Gaullists' best weapon after De Gaulle himself -- that was stirring the excitement. The election rules give each candidate a total of seven appearances totaling two hours (plus another two hours on government radio as well), and despite Gaullist restrictions that might have hobbled the campaigners, the first round of opposition appearances has been surprisingly effective.

Cheap at the Price. Leading the way was Franc,ois Mitterrand, long De Gaulle's roughest parliamentary critic and so far his chief opposition in the race, who has the joint backing of the Socialist and Communist parties. Mitterrand bore down heavily on "social injustice" in France, sneered that "De Gaulle poses problems which concerned our fathers. I am trying to pose problems which will concern our sons." The candidate on the right, Jean-Louis Tixier-Vignancour, spoke feelingly on the subject that still rankles and moves many a Frenchman -- the Gaullist betrayal of the Algerian French.

Giant (6 ft. 7 in.), likable Lawyer and Writer Pierre Marcilhacy condemned Gaullist foreign policy, argued that "a great country like France can not allow itself to be alone in the world." Marcel Barbu, an unknown watchmaker from Nanterre, pleaded for better housing. He put up the $2,000 deposit to become a candidate (refundable only if he can poll 5% of the vote) only to air his pet grievance. "It's cheap at twice the price," he explains, noting that he will get $500,000 worth of free radio and television time for his $2,000.

True Grandeur. To no one is the showcase of television more important than to the man coming up fastest in the campaign: Jean Lecanuet, 45, a Senator from Seine-Maritime and recently president of the Catholic center M.R.P. (Mouvement Republicain Populaire) party. Already being hailed by his supporters and the press as "the French Kennedy" because of his telegenic good looks and stylish rapport with crowds, Lecanuet in a mere month has raised himself from obscurity to importance with the cry, "Why does France not have a young President?" He is hitting De Gaulle hard on Europe, and to le general's condescending pronouncement that the choice for France on Dec. 5 is himself or "confusion," Lecanuet replies that "the true grandeur of a state is firmness and the ability to survive the passing of a leader."

Already Lecanuet is estimated to have a sure 3,000,000 votes, and his support is still swelling. But neither Lecanuet nor any of the other candidates is likely to pass the leader in this election. What the five hope to do is to poll over half of the estimated 22 million votes likely to be cast Dec. 5. If they do, the rules require a runoff between the two top votegetters. That, for De Gaulle, would be a humiliating stoop from grandeur. But already the Gaullists, slightly alarmed by the swift start of the opposition, are preparing for the worst. A runoff, they were bruiting around Paris last week, would really be quite a good thing after all. Their reasoning: in the runoff, De Gaulle would surely clobber his lone opposition.

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