French marchers victory for State Education.Paris. 16 Jan.1994
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An estimated 250.000 participants from all over France arrived in Paris to defend state support of secular, public schools.Initially called to protest against the Balladur government revision of a 144 year old law that limitis the amount local authorities may spend on private schools, mainly Catholic, it became a victory march when Prime Minister Balladur dropped his proposal.France's Constitutional Council ruled that proposed changes could discriminate against pupils in cash starved public schools, and was therefore unconstitutional.Rather that reword the bill,or come to arrangements with Pres Mitterrand, Mr Baladur simply abandoned the plans.
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