French left fields Royal in presidential challenge
Published: 17 November, 2006, 07:08
The French Socialist Party announced its choice of former family and environment minister Segolene Royal as presidential candidate. She runs the chance of becoming France's first-ever female head-of-state.
Front-runner Royal took just over 60 per cent of votes in the first round. The result trounced male candidates Dominique Strauss-Kahn, former finance minister, and former prime minister Laurent Fabius.Royal's critics say the mother-of-four and partner of Socialist party leader Francois Hollande is not tough enough to lead the nation. Royal accuses her detractors of sexism. Most recent opinion polls put Royal neck-and-neck with leading right-wing candidate Nicolas Sarkozy. Both pledge injection of new energy into French politics.
17.11.2006, 06:40
Russian press review 17.11.06Russian press looks at the situation in the country's army, writes about the Chechen ombudsman who calls on the Russia to set up a commission to assess all the damage caused to Chechnya and love story of Austrian aristocrat. |
17.11.2006, 11:04
Leaders of 3 breakaway republics meet in MoscowLeaders of the Breakaway Republics of South Ossetia, Abkhazia and Transdniester have been meeting in Moscow. Questions relating to co-operation between the three republics topped the agenda. |
