Look who's playing the Palace
The stately iron gates of the presidential Elysée Palace functioned like a revolving door last week as Valéry Giscard d'Estaing's political opponents swiftly responded to his post-election appeal for "relaxation," "coexistence" and "reasonable cohabitation" among all parties. The first major leftist figure to enter the once impenetrable palace was Socialist Leader François Mitterrand, whose hopes of governing France had suffered a shattering defeat. Mitterrand was ceremoniously greeted by Elysée Secretary General Jean François-Poncet, who ushered the grim leftist into the sumptuous Golden Salon that once served...