EU socialists welcome Royal victory

Poul Nyrup Rasmussen and Martin Schulz have congratulated Ségolène Royal for her victory in last night’s vote to elect the centre-left French presidential candidate.

“In choosing a resolute and visionary woman, the members of the Parti Socialiste have chosen for France a candidate for the future and have given themselves every chance of beating the right in 2007,” said Rasmussen, leader of the Party of European Socialists.

“A new page in French history has been opened. By combining modern ideas with traditional values such as egalité and fraternité, Ségolène Royal will give France the chance to close the book on 12 years of mediocre and conservative presidency.”

Royal has been criticised by many traditional French socialists for her Blairite approach to modernising the party, and her apparent lack of substantial policy ideas – in particular with regard to Europe - was highlighted by both her rivals for the socialist vote.

But Rasmussen, already scenting victory for Royal in next year’s vote, said that “Ségolène represents an opportunity for France and an opportunity for Europe”.

“By offering new and innovative answers to the challenges facing France, Ségolène Royal offers fresh hope to all those who are excluded, who are want more and better jobs, and who are tired of the old politics,” he said.

“She will enable France to regain its natural place as a great progressive nation in Europe and the world.”

Martin Schulz, leader of the centre-left MEPs, added his congratulations to those of Rasmussen.

“Ségolène Royal can count on our full cooperation in …the construction of a strong social Europe,” he said, inviting her to meet with socialist group MEPs.

“[We] will give her all the support she needs in her presidential campaign and in her efforts to restore France to its rightful place in Europe.”

Royal won the vote by a large majority, garnering more than 60 per cent, compared to roughly 20 per cent each for Dominique Strauss-Kahn and Laurent Fabius.

She immediately called for unity within the party in a bid to elect her as the first socialist president since 1995, when current president Jacques Chirac beat Lionel Jospin.

Jospin, who lost again against Chirac in 2002, had refused to back Royal’s bid for the presidential nomination, backing the more traditional centre-left policies of Fabius.

But both Strauss-Kahn and Fabius have called on their supporters to back Royal in the hope of beating Nicolas Sarkozy, France’s interior minister, in next year’s vote.

Sarkozy is seen as the most likely candidate from the centre-right, although he has yet to make an official announcement.

But growing rifts within the ruling UMP party have given increased hope to Royal’s supporters, with defence minister Michele Alliot-Marie, prime minister Dominique de Villepin and even Chirac himself all potential rivals to Sarkozy. 

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