Ségolène Royal mounted a determined effort on Monday night to revive her ambitions, appearing on primetime TV to defend her campaign to become France’s first female president.
Three months ago, Royal (53) a mother of four and the Socialist head of Poitou Charentes region, appeared to represent an unstoppable new face in politics. But her popularity has been dented by gaffes and infighting, with more than 20 consecutive opinion polls in recent weeks showing the public is not convinced. Her right-wing opponent, the Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy has a lead of up to 10 points.
So great was the malaise within her own party that before she went on air on Monday night, one Socialist senator wrote on his blog: ”The left is sinking.”
Royal faced the nation live for two hours on the top election TV show, I’ve got a question to ask you, taking questions from the public. When Sarkozy appeared on the show two weeks ago, about eight million viewers tuned in, the highest ratings for a political show in 15 years. Monday night’s audience tuned in to see if Royal could hold her nerve.
In her trademark white jacket, she stood confidently away from the podium, and addressed her critics. ”I’m who I am, as a woman … I do politics differently,” she said, defending her dedication to a ”listening phase” of travelling around focus groups. ”I’m the only one who can bring about the real change that France needs.”
Asked about her campaign, she said she would announce a reformed team this week; there had been ”small tensions” in her camp, but she felt ”serene”. A man would not be questioned over his competence like she had been, she said, defending her record as a minister in previous governments.
Royal called herself a ”Socialist”, a word which she had avoided in her recent keynote address. She promised a programme of ”solidarity” of the left, boosting public services, and solving the crisis on France’s urban estates. She promised to be a ”modest” president, stopping champagne receptions, cutting ministerial positions and the personal use of big government cars.
But she also appealed to the crucial centre vote, vowing to ”modernise” France and help businesses kick-start economic growth.
She appeared at ease with the live questioning; at one stage, she rushed to comfort a wheelchair user who broke down in tears while asking her about minority rights.
Henri Rey of the Institute for Political Studies in Paris told the Guardian: ”I felt she managed very well. She communicated well, she was natural and gave concrete replies.”
The left-leaning Libération was preparing a front page suggesting Royal had regained her step. News editor Renaud Dély called her performance ”positive”.
Royal now faces not only a challenge from the right, but the rise of a dark horse candidate, centrist Francois Bayrou, a gentleman farmer figure who writes historical non-fiction and raises racehorses. One poll on Monday showed him at 16% in the first round, and another, by Ifop, showed if he made it to the second round, he would beat either Sarkozy or Royal. – Guardian Unlimited Â