1.
SV POHER ON PLATFORM
0.06

2.
GV CROWD CHANT
0.13

3.
CU PAN FORM PICTURE OF POHER TO HIM ON PLATFORM ACKNOWLEDGING CROWD
1.23

4.
CU POHER SPEAKS
1.54


TRANSCRIPT: SEQ. 4: POHER: THANK YOU MY FRIENDS. I AM NOT SURE I SHALL BE ABLE TO TALK MUCH THIS EVENING, BUT FOR A LONE MAN I AM REALLY VERY WELL SUPPORTED. (APPLAUSE) LOOK AT ALL THESE WOMEN AND THESE MEN, ALL THESE YOUNG PEOPLE AND ELDERLY PEOPLE, THEY WANT A CHANGE. WE ALL WANT A CHANGE (APPLAUSE).




Initials MJS/V/MR/CB



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: ALAIN POHER, INTERIM PRESIDENT OF FRANCE AND ONE OF THE TWO REMAINING CANDIDATES IN THE RACE TO BECOME PRESIDENT-ELECT, HELD THE FINAL RALLY OF HIS CROSS-NATION CAMPAIGN IN PARIS LAST NIGHT. (12 JUNE).

THE RALLY WAS HELD IN THE PALAIS DES SPORTS. ALREADY, EARLIER IN THE DAY, M. POHER HAD SPOKEN AT MEETINGS IN BREST AND AMIENS. THE DAY BEFORE, HE HAD BEEN IN NANTES, AND A DAY BEFORE THAT IN METZ, NANCY, AND STRASBOURG. THIS WHISTLE-STOP ELECTION TOUR WAS IN MARKED CONTRAST TO HIS QUIET CAMPAIGN BEFORE THE FIRST ELECTIONS BALLOT, WHEN FOR A TIME HE SEEMED THE FAVOURITE, AND IT WAS HIS CHIEF OPPONENT, FORMER GAULLIST PREMIER GEORGES POMPIDOU, WHO USED THIS AMERICAN TECHNIQUE TO GAIN VOTES.

BUT M. POMPIDOU DID GET THE VOTES, THOUGH NOT ENOUGH TO WIN ON THE FIRST BALLOT, AND IS NOW TIPPED BY ALL THE OPINION POLLS TO BE CERTAIN OF VICTORY. THE LATEST POLL, TAKEN BY SOFRES AND PUBLISHED TODAY (13 JUNE) IN THE FRENCH NEWSPAPER FIGARO, PREDICTED M. POMPIDOU WOULD WIN BY 56 PER CENT TO M. POHER'S 44. EVEN THOUGH M. POMPIDOU'S LEAD HAS DROPPED FOUR PER CENT SINCE LAST WEEK, THE OUTLOOK FOR HIS OPPONENT IS STILL LIKELY TO BE GLOOMY.

THOUGH HE HAS THE SUPPORT OF CENTRISTS LIKE FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE JEAN LECANUET - WHO HAS AT LAST NIGHT'S RALLY, HE HAS LOST THE HOPED-FOR SUPPORT FROM THE COMMUNISTS. HE HAS ALSO BEGUN TO LOSE HIS 'UNCLE' IMAGE. RECENT SPEECHES HAVE BEEN FULL OF INNUENDOS CONCERNING SCANDALS DURING THE DE GAULLE ERA - ALLEGATIONS OF SECRET POLICE AND POLITICAL PRESSURES ON COURT OFFICIALS.

HIS CLOSING ADDRESS WAS NO EXCEPTION. WHILE M. POMPIDOU TALKED DECOROUSLY ON TELEVISION ON SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC PROBLEMS, M. POHER TOLD HIS PALAIS DES SPORTS AUDIENCE OF THE COUNTRY'S SECRET FUNDS, CONFESSED 'I MYSELF HAVE TOO MUCH,' AND UNDERTOOK TO TURN OVER MILLIONS OF FRANCS HE HAD BEEN GIVEN TO THE RED CROSS AND FOR CANCER AND OTHER MEDICAL RESEARCH.

THERE WAS LOUD APPLAUSE FROM HIS SUPPORTERS AS M. POHER, APPARENTLY NURSING A SORE THROAT, BEGAN HIS SPEECH.