PARIS, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) — The Socialist Party (SP), the lead opposition party in France, chose Francois Hollande as its presidential candidate on Sunday. He will challenge incumbent President Nicolas Sarkozy in elections next year.
Hollande’s nomination after a thumping victory in regional elections and rising popularity of left-wing parties in France brings considerable pressure to embattled Sarkozy and his ruling right.
HOLLANDE CALLS FOR SOLIDARITY
When primary results were announced early Monday morning, Holland and Martine Aubry, the two finalists bagged 56.6 percent and 43.4 percent of the vote respectively.
After most of the 2.7 million ballots were counted, Aubry was left with no choice but to join four other nominees who lost out in earlier rounds of primaries.
«I warmly congratulate Hollande, who tonight became our presidential candidate,» she said, pledging to continue as party leader and supporting Hollande «seven months from now.»
Hollande was quick to offer an olive branch, calling for unity between the SP and other left-wing parties. «The right has nothing to lose except what it still has and holds dearest, namely power,» he said.
Blaming Sarkozy for high unemployment, rising housing costs, financial volatility and a disconnect within the European Union, Hollande promised change to the French people. He attached «great priority» to the youth of the country and vowed to provide them «a better life.»
Born into a middle-class family in 1954, Hollande is a political veteran though not well-known outside France. At 25, he was the economic councilor to Francois Mitterrand, a former French president. Two years later, he started working in the Elysee economic team.
He served as the SP’s first secretary for nearly a decade and now chairs the regional government of Correze in south-west France.
UNPRECEDENTED PUBLIC ATTENTION
The primaries initiated by the SP represent a historic first in French politics, in which party activists have traditionally chosen presidential candidates. This year, the elections attracted 2.86 million voters, more than double what the party expected.
Local media too was excited by the unprecedented U.S.-style primary election. Newspapers, radio stations and TV channels carried election coverage through the summer. A month before the primaries, millions of viewers are said to have tuned into televised weekly debates among the six nominees.
Despite some members of the ruling right appreciating the new concept, the ruling center-right Union for a Popular Movement (UMP) ruled out a similar campaign.
Sarkozy too criticized the SP primaries as being against the French constitution. He said current laws allow French presidents to be picked after two rounds of elections, not four.
PRESSURE MOUNTS ON SARKOZY
Analysts once doubted SP’s chances against Sarkozy, not least due to infighting among party veterans. That obstacle has been cleared by Hollande’s victory and call for solidarity.
Meanwhile, Sarkozy, the most likely candidate of the ruling UMP is suffering from declining approval ratings. According to recent polls, his popularity has been hovering around the 30 percent mark for months, the lowest since his entry into the Elysee Palace in 2007.
In contrast, the left-wing coalition has been boosted by sweeping victories in regional and senate elections over the last two years.
A local survey suggested more public support for Hollande over Sarkozy in next year’s presidential election. Some say Sarkozy could even lose out in the first round, making it a fight between SP and the far-right.
Some reports go as far as to predict that Foreign Minister Alain Juppe will replace Sarkozy as UMP’s presidential candidate. It seems like Sarkozy’s appeal is diminishing amid left and right-wing voters.
The state of the economy could work against Sarkozy. As European leaders including the French leader himself seek to stabilize financial markets and boost growth in a volatile economic climate, the left advocating for more social equality and administrative intervention is likely to win public support.
At this crucial moment, Hollande’s moderate personality is an advantage. With a good educational background and a long career in economics and politics, Hollande stands as an able contender barring the fact he has never held a national government position.
A lack of experience in dealing with international affairs can be Hollande’s Achilles’ heel. A victory in the primaries is just the beginning of a long battle with many challenges ahead.
Source: http://news.xinhuanet.com