Marchais goes into retirement

PARIS - The veteran former French Communist leader, Mr Georges Marchais, has finally agreed to hang up his hammer and sickle, bowing to his more liberal successor, Mr Robert Hue's wish to promote a new generation of leaders. Mr Marchais (75) for 22 years kept western Europe second biggest Communist party firmly in the Soviet camp, condoning the 1979 Soviet military intervention in Afghanistan. He handed over the leadership to Mr Hue in 1994: but remained in the politburo, even retaining his old general secretary's office at party headquarters.