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The nomination of Gaston Defferre as candidate for the Franch Presidsncy by the Socialist Party in France faccs the Frmeoh left with a testing choice. Defferrse is the Mayor of Harsoilles - a rich man with a record of competent anti-Communist administration behind him, who votod for De Gaulle in the critical days aftcr the Algicrs putsch of May 1958. It is an open sceret that the Amoricans have been backing him as thsir chosen candidate to unszat De Gaull= at the next Presidential clcctions. Dofferre has beon careful not to upsct Washington in any way, cither by following De Gaulle in a policy of French aggrandisanent abroad, or negotiating with the Communists on a common platform at home. His tac— tics have bem so rightist that Guy Mollet, scerstary gmoral of tho SFIO, has hitherto opposed then. Dofferre is now bidding for the support of the whole left, as the unitcd candidate of the opposition. The Comm unists have so far beon roticent, confining thamsclves to stressing their own indisponsability to a left victory. Thus it scoms likely that Defforre as De Gaulle's major rival, fighting on a platform which is an amalgam of Gaitskellite and US Democratic platitudes.
Ds Gaulle has consolidated massive popular support for his genuinely independant foreign policy. Nothing could bo more futile - svm from an opportunist viewpoint — than for the loft to rally behind a candidate chosen by Washington, fighting on a programme well to the right of the Labour Party. It would certainly bo ropudiated by wide scction of the working class if it did so. It is now important that the other forces on the Fromch Left should oponly attack Defferre's policies, making clear that they stand no chance of defoating De Gaulle.