FRANCE GOES TO MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS, SOCIALIST LOOK SET TO WIN PARIS

FRANCE GOES TO MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS, SOCIALIST LOOK SET TO WIN PARIS PARIS -- THE LOSING POPULARITY OF CHIRAC'S PARTY EMERGED WHEN MONTH-AFTER-MONTH SCANDALS OF CORRUPTION AND FINANCIAL WRONGDOINGS APPEARED ON FRONT-PAGE NEWSPAPERS AGAINST MEMBERS OF THE RIGHT PARTY.
THE CASES OF SCANDALS HAVE FORCED SEVERAL PARTY MEMBERS TO LEAVE INCLUDING THE CURRENT MAYOR OF PARIS, JEAN TIBERI, THE MAN CHOSEN BY CHIRAC, WHO IS NOW RUNNING ON HIS OWN TICKET AFTER HE WAS OUSTED FROM HIS CONSERVATIVE PARTY.
TIBERI IS RUNNING FOR A SECOND TERM AS MAYOR OF PARIS CITY HALL, A NATIONAL POWER BASE CONTROLLING 40,000 JOBS, MANY OF THEM FOR PARTY WORKERS.
IN ADDITION TO THE SOCIALIST REPRESENTATIVE DELANOE, TIBERI IS ALSO RACING AGAINST PHILIPPE SEGUIN, A MAN REPRESENTING THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY.
THE RIGHT HAS BEEN HAMPARED BY CORRUPTION ALLEGATIONS THAT HAVE PILED UP AROUND CITY HALL SO DEEPLY THAT THE INCUMBENT MAYOR, JEAN TIBERI, CHIRAC'S HAND-PICKED SUCCESSOR IN THE JOB, WAS OUSTED FROM HIS OWN PARTY AT THE START OF THE ELECTIONS CAMPAIGN, STUBBORNLY REFUSING TO ROLL OVER, THEY SAY.
CHIRAC, FORMER MAYOR OF PARIS, GAVE THE JOB TO TIBERI WHEN HE WAS ELECTED PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC.
THAT HAS SPLIT THE CONSERVATIVE VOTE AND OPENED THE WAY TO A LEFTIST VICTORY AT A TIME WHEN PARIS IS BECOMING AN INCREASINGLY GENTRIFIED CITY, THEY SAID. (MORE) SA.JA KUNA 101545 Mar 01NNNN