There are two other main tendencies on the right: the Le Pen, Vichy extreme-right, haters of De Gaulle since WW2; and the centrists, once led by former president Giscard d'Estaing. This group (the party is called the UDF) is not as influential as it was in Giscard's time, the '70s. It's now led by François Bayrou who is trying to make room for himself (for the presidential) by distancing himself from the "Gaullists", who are in government.

The two great individual figures of the post-WW2 French political scene are undoubtedly De Gaulle and Mitterand. By openly affiliating herself to Mitterand, Royal is making a bold declaration of what she claims is her capacity and stature. Mitterand was neither an ideology nor a policy buff, so it doesn't count on Royal's part as a declaration of intent in either of those fields.