10/27/2006 : Ségolène Slips As DSK Reaches Zenith

Sujet: 10/27/2006 : Ségolène Slips As DSK Reaches Zenith Lun 30 Oct - 16:47

Ségolène Slips As DSK Reaches Zenith

By Gareth Cartman

Trouble for Ségolène Royal last night in front of a packed crowd at the Zenith. In the closed-doors debate infront of 6,000 Socialists, she was booed and whistled while Dominique Strauss-Kahn was the undoubted victor.

A drop in the opinion polls and a difficult evening for Ségolène made Thursday a day to forget. The Parisian socialists have taken Dominique Strauss-Kahn to their hearts, and they made that known last night at the concert venue Le Zénith, in the north-east of the city.

Laurent Fabius, who has climbed slightly in the polls, maintained that he was surprised at the number of proposals Ségolène Royal has been making as the debates continue. "I have one proposal", said Fabius, "that whoever wins the nomination carries forward the socialist project". He was, however, caught on camera the night before making unwise comments about Ségolène Royal's religion, which have alienated him from popular support.

Fabius, the bourgeois former Prime Minister, has changed tack over recent months and has gone from a relatively liberal champion of the free markets to an all-out socialist. Dominique Strauss-Kahn, however, has maintained his position in the centre-ground, much to the delight of the crowd at the Zenith last night.

Dominique Strauss-Kahn was obviously in good form, cheered on by a buoyant crowd. Cracking jokes and flowing with slogans, last night was DSK's night. The same could not be said for Ségolène Royal, who afterwards hoped that the following two debates would be held with more decorum.

"I did not have the feeling that I was with Socialist members", said Royal afterwards.

Defending her idea of citizen juries, she said "We should not be afraid of the people. Democracy is like love - the more there is, the more it grows". Evidently irked at the fact that she has to carry out her campaign with 6 debates, Royal knows that she only has two more to withstand before the vote, for which she is still the overwhelming favourite.

The Paris-based socialists obviously don't think so.

10/27/2006 : Ségolène Slips As DSK Reaches Zenith Segolene388

10/27/2006 : Ségolène Slips As DSK Reaches Zenith Segolene388

sources : http://www.paris-link-home.com/news/121/ARTICLE/1325/2006-10-27.html