In this case Martine Aubry, daughter of the least popular Frenchman (in these parts at least) since Napoleon.As noted previously, the French Socialists are deep in ferrets in the sack mode, and Le Figaro has been kind enough to poll the Plain People of France as to who they would vote for in a hypothetical Presidential Election with the same candidates as last time, plus options for Aubry and Delanoë as Socialist candidates.La Royal is the PS's best option, in that she would reap 24% of the vote and then go head to head with Sarko in round two. A Sego candidacy sees the six candidates of the extreme left attract 18% of the vote, an Aubry gives them 23% and Delanoë 22%. Aubry would be knocked out by the Liberal Bayrou, while Bayrou would tie with Delanoë. The FN is a busted flush,...
Ouest France, very kindly, has polled Gauls on what they think of the French Socialists, and even more kindly, Libération has published the figures a day early.Ségo, Delanoë et al are reckoned to be letting down La Patrie by failing to oppose Sarko's / Fillon's government with sufficient vigour (52%), understanding the preoccupations of the man on the Limoges autobus (55%), not to have good leaders (66%), and not knowing what it is doing (67%).As to what the PS should do, 41% of Gauls want it to get into bed with Bayrou's MoDem (sort of Lib Dem types), 30% to link with the non-Trot extreme left (PCF, Greens) and 18% want it to cosy up to baby-faced rot postie Besancenot's Trot rabble. Curious bunch. As to left leaning voters, 45% want a menage à trois with the broad extreme left...
Dominique Strauss-Kahn, DSK as he fancies being called, is undoubtedly an heavy-weight of the French Socialist Party, for his successful tenure of the Finance portfolio under Lionel Jospin but also for his modernist social-liberal line, aimed at reconcile his fellow Socialists with capitalism and free market in our increasingly globalized world. His defeat to Ségolène Royal in the party's Presidential primaries in late 2006 and his lack of interest for spending the next five years as a backbencher and 'politicking' with the other Elephants (as are nicknamed the senior members of the PS, Royal, Fabius, Delanoé...) convinced him to take a French leave and put himself forward as President of the International Monetary Fund.Elected after a global campaign and with the strong support of...
Well, ish.Le Figaro is greatly amused by the ratings for the French terrestrial TV stations last night, with Ségolène Royal extended whinge interview attracting a 15.1% share or 3.19 million viewers. I think that most opposition leaders in these parts would be cracking open the cans of light ale if they could secure that much interest the thick end of five years away from an election.And the really amusing bit - Johnny Hallyday scooped the pool with a 26% share for his appearance on the French equivalent of The Bill / Inspector Morse, Commissaire Moulin. Sego was also outgunned by a dubbed US drama, Prison Break, and some kind of Christmas thing.Le Figaro also notes that ratings for her interview with PPdA on Tuesday collapsed by the first commercial break, but the lady's not for...
