Giscard Set To Impose Austerity
. PARIS, June 3ÛÓPresident 'Valery Giscard dÛªEstaing is .preparing a major austerity 'program designed to cope with ,the galloping inflation and ÐÊbalance of payments deficits .which he tolerated in his final months as finance minister.</br></br>' First hints of his program are expected in Prime Minister Jacques ChiracÛªs speech to the National Assembly Wednesday and subsequent vote of confidence Thursday. Full details will be announced next week.	åÈ</br></br>Political analysts expect drastic measures since the ' next major scheduled electionsÛÓfor the National Assem-Û÷blyÛÓwould be in 1978. By Û¢then, Giscard dÛªEstaingÛªs advisers hope that temporary belt-tightening measures, expected to be unpopular with political backers, will have been forgiven.</br></br>Politically, Giscard dÛªEstaing is virtually assured of massive, if relueatant, backing from the Gaullists who control 181 of the National AssemblyÛªs 490 seats. In the final months of the late President Georges PompidouÛªs life, orthodox Gaullists vehemently criticized Giscard dÛªEstaingÛªs allegedly too relaxed attitude toward inflation. So they are in no position to oppose strong medicine now, especially since their political fortunes have sunk so low-</br></br>But if the new president is assured of support from government benches, the leftist opposition and trade unions have served notice that they are in no mood to accept pock-etbook sacrifices.