WHICH BANK WILL BE FIRST FOR THE BIG SALE?
In France a great debate is raging. Which companies and banks,
nationalized in 1981 when the Socialist Party came to power, should be
de-nationalized.
For the Socialist government led by premier Laurent Fabius the
writing is on the wall. Few forecasters predict they will hold on to
power after the general election in March 1986. The election is likely
to leave socialist president Francois Mitterrand in glorious isolation
at the Elysee Palace, with a Gaullist or conservative government beneath
him.
In anticipation of this, right-wing politicians are already
drafting a denationalization programme. There are rumours that the Left
may even start a pre-election sell-off, as a vote-catcher. Whoever
starts: how will it be done? And will it begin with the banks?
Alain Juppe, a senior member of Gaullist leader Jacques
Chirac's staff, put the the banks at the top of...
