2. Editorial Note
The government of Prime Minister Pierre Mendès-France was defeated in the French National Assembly on February 5, on a vote of confidence on its North African policy, and Mendès-France immediately tendered his resignation to President René Coty. Christian Pineau of the Socialist Party, Antoine Pinay of the Independent Republican Party, and Pierre Pflimlin of the Popular Republicans each in turn unsuccessfully attempted to form a government. Finally, on February 23, Edgar Faure of the Radical Party became Prime Minister. Pinay was Foreign Minister and Pflimlin was Finance Minister in his Cabinet. Reports of this political crisis are in Department of State, Central File 751.00.