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GV PAN FROM Street TO Grand Hotel in Paris
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SV INT Mr. Le Pen talking to members of press
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GV Members of the press
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SCU Le Pen speaks in French (4 shots)
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Initials BB/1931 BD/AW/BB/1950



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: The President of France's right wing National Front Party, Jean-Marie Le Pen, has called on ailing French President Georges Pompidou to move now to ensure the succession of his position.

Speaking in paris on Thursday (28 March), Mr. Le pen said he hoped President Pompidou would not let the Presidency slip to a stage where the head of state and the leader of the government, or Prime Minister, would be one and the same person. reaffirming that he would be a candidate for the next presidential elections whenever they were held, Mr. Le Pen said President pompidou was losing prestige by not moving to appoint a successor now he is ill. The day before (27 March) Mr. Pompidou presided over a weekly French Cabinet meeting after spending most of the previous week in his private flat recovering from his latest illness. Mr. Le Pen said that as leader of the National Front he was committed to the creation of a vast popular movement in favour of creating an era of reform in France.

The National Front leader stressed that 62-year-old President Pompidou's health worries was bringing the effectiveness of the presidency under question.

SYNOPSIS: In France, at a press conference in paris' Grand Hotel, the president of France's Right-Wing National Front Party, Jean Marie Le Pen, has called on ailing French President Georges Pompidou to move now to ensure the succession of his position.

First announcing he would be contender for the next Presidential election, Mr. Le Pen stressed that President Pompidou's health worries were undermining public and international confidence in the head of state.

The National Front leader said he hoped there would not come a time when the Head of State, or President, and the leader of the government, or Prime Minister would be one and the same person. Mr. Le Pen said President Pompidou was losing prestige by not moving to appoint a successor or hold another election for his office soon.

The day before Mr. Le Pen's press conference, President Pompidou sat in on a weekly meeting of the French cabinet meeting after spending most of the previous week in bed. His illness is officially described as haemorrhoids, but many observers believe it may be something more serious. However, the French leader has announced he will go ahead as planned with a visit to West Germany, although it may take place a month later.

Mr. Le Pen said that as leader of the National front, he was, if elected President, committed to the creation of a vast popular movement in favour of beginning an era of political reform in France.