Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1950-08-13
rlectora, ,ystem Que
For Revision in France
To Cut Red Strength
By the Assoeiofed Press

majority determined TO Whlttle
down the Communist bloc and
minimize its persistent obstruc-
ton. is scheduled to take up q
revision of the national electoral
machinery in the near future.
Virtually everyone in the Ma
tional Assembly agrees-for once
that the new election law will
throw the Communists for a loss
The Communists realize this. Ma
turally they bitterly oppose it.
There are about as many pro-
posals for changing the election
system as there are parties in
France. and each has its particu-
lar twist designed to favor its
sponsors.
Most Want Change.
The present system, used in
1916 to elect this assembly, is
based on proportional representa-
ton and gives a commanding role
to the party machine. Most
deputies, who like to feel the solid
ground of a safe constituency be-
meath their feet, believe it should
be changed before the next ma
tional elections, probably some
time in 1851.
Under the present system, fost-
cred largely by the Communists
and the Catholic Popular Re-
publican Movement (MRP), the
party organization makes a list
for each department.
The voter may not split his
ticket. There are no write-in
votes. He cannot change the Or
der of names on his party's list.
This puts a lot of power into
the hands of the party machine
which decides who is on the list
and in what order. The order is
important because if party wins
say. three of five seats at stake
the first three names on the list
are elected.
Quota System Now.
To decide the division of seats
there is a complicated pro-
portional representation system
Roughly speaking, it is based on
the number of votes cast divided
by the number of seats at stake
in each department. For example,
If a party gets 40 per cent of the
vote in a department with five
seats. that party will get two seats.
This system obviously favors
parties with some support in all
sections but not enough to cap
ture majority in a large number
of constituencies. Such is the
case for the Communist Party and
probably, too. for Gen. Charles De
Gaulle'S French Peoples Rally
tRPFD which was formed since
the last election.
Other parties neither need nor
desire proportional representation.
The Radicals Socialists, for ex-
ample, are solidly entrenched in
certain areas and would do much
better in parliament with the pre-
war system.
Prewar System Unlikely.
One solution, with scant chance
of adoption, woulo be to return to
the prewar method. Some Radi-
Gals. with a large following in
their own districts, want this, but
their arguments have not &C
quired much Of a following.
Other systems being put forth
for consideration include the fol-
lowing:
l. The Coty system provides for
lists. with each
deputy assigned to a sector of his
department. Those who get an
absolute majority would be
elected. Remaining seats would
be divided on a proportional ba-
sis in runof election.
2. The Roques- Taillade plan
favored by the MRP would provide
for departmental lists, elected
with one important proviso-on a
proportional basis.
The proviso is that if a list OBJ
tainS SIS per cent of all votes in
its department. the party gets all
the seats. Another article per-
hitting independents, splinter
groups or parties to present q
joint list.
Merge Middle Road Parties.
The meaning of this is that the
middle-road parties might merge
their forces in doubtful districts
to freeze out the de Gaullists OF
the Communists. The MRP pro-
poSal also would allow for split
ballots and by-elections.
3. The Barrachin plan, provid.
ing for double barreled election
of departmental lists. An abso-
lutte majority would elect in the
first poll, and a plurality would
suffice in the runoff.
4. The Bardoux plan is another
complicated quota" system with
the department. as the district
unit. In each department, a quota
or legal minimum would be estab-
lished by dividing the number of
votes cast by the seats at stake.
Candidates who exceeded the
legal minimum-by the widest
in cases where many ex-
ceeded it-would be elected. Run
offs would be held.
All Would Cut Reds.
According to most competent
observers, the Barrachin plan
probably would reduce the Com
munist strength from it's present
166 (not counting allied groups)
to % seats. The same observers
figure this plan would also reduce
the MRP from 143 to SO seats.
The Coty system would prob