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Royal seeks second chance in battle to depose Sarkozy - Europe, News - The Independent

The struggle to become the Next Big Thing on the French left wing exploded into open warfare at the weekend as the defeated presidential candidate Ségolène Royal announced a bid to become the First Secretary, or leader, of the Socialist Party.

On Thursday, the Paris Mayor Bertrand Delanoë, who is likely to be her main rival, will publish a book called De l'Audace! (Courage!), setting out his political philosophy and ambitions. With six months to go before the Socialists choose their new leader at a conference in Reims, the pair have, in effect, joined battle for the right to be both the party chief and the candidate-elect for the presidential elections in 2012.

Mme Royal, 54, has been bounced into an early declaration by the rising popularity of the gruff, moderate, competent mayor. Although his open homosexuality is regarded as a serious handicap by some political analysts, M. Delanoe, 57, is running far ahead of Mme Royal in recent national opinion polls.

by Fran (fran at eurotrib dot com) on Sun May 18th, 2008 at 11:26:12 PM EST
[ Parent ]
De l'Audace! doesn't mean courage but daring. One of those hackneyed concepts the French like to wave around, like panache.

his open homosexuality is regarded as a serious handicap by some political analysts

I don't know which political analysts say this. Delanoë has just been reelected mayor of Paris, and there's no sign his sexual orientation has any determining effect on people's perception of him.

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Mon May 19th, 2008 at 02:08:55 AM EST
[ Parent ]
British political analysts writing for The Independent, of course.

When the capital development of a country becomes a by-product of the activities of a casino, the job is likely to be ill-done. — John M. Keynes
by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Mon May 19th, 2008 at 03:00:29 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Seems fair to say that it's Delanoe's to lose at this point.  Any corruption stories about him?  I've never heard of a mayor of paris who wasn't on the take.
by paving on Mon May 19th, 2008 at 02:05:15 PM EST
[ Parent ]
The fact that he is only the third mayor of Paris in living memory helps that...

Un roi sans divertissement est un homme plein de misères
by linca (antonin POINT lucas AROBASE gmail.com) on Tue May 20th, 2008 at 03:32:34 AM EST
[ Parent ]

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