Aubry guns for France's top job
Source: Agencies |
June 29, 2011, Wednesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
WITH the leading Socialist contender for the French presidency facing attempted rape charges in New York, the party's chief announced yesterday that she wants France's top job.
Martine Aubry's announcement cranks up the campaign for next year's elections, as leading Socialists jockey to unseat the unpopular Nicolas Sarkozy and Dominique Strauss-Kahn's chances are effectively buried.
Aubry faces a party primary October 1. The Socialists are France's leading opposition party and while they have been wracked by divisions and their platform remains woolly, their candidate is likely to be the chief challenger to the conservative Sarkozy.
Many leftist voters see Sarkozy as too friendly to the rich and think his tough immigration policies have only made social tensions in France worse. Some of his supporters in the last election have turned against him, feeling he didn't follow through with pledges to boost their purchasing power and reinvigorate France's economy.
For months, polls suggested the Socialists might finally have a shot at the presidency with Strauss-Kahn, a prominent party figure who headed the International Monetary Fund.
Aubry, author of France's 35-hour workweek, is a less charismatic and forceful figure than Strauss-Kahn or Sarkozy, but is seen as steady and committed to core Socialist causes such as social welfare.
In announcing her candidacy yesterday, Aubry denounced what she called policies "led exclusively for the profit of the most privileged."
She pledged "decent" pensions, an overhaul of public services, and better paychecks, though didn't detail how these would be paid for. In the primary, she may face her predecessor, Francois Hollande - who leads in most polls.
Martine Aubry's announcement cranks up the campaign for next year's elections, as leading Socialists jockey to unseat the unpopular Nicolas Sarkozy and Dominique Strauss-Kahn's chances are effectively buried.
Aubry faces a party primary October 1. The Socialists are France's leading opposition party and while they have been wracked by divisions and their platform remains woolly, their candidate is likely to be the chief challenger to the conservative Sarkozy.
Many leftist voters see Sarkozy as too friendly to the rich and think his tough immigration policies have only made social tensions in France worse. Some of his supporters in the last election have turned against him, feeling he didn't follow through with pledges to boost their purchasing power and reinvigorate France's economy.
For months, polls suggested the Socialists might finally have a shot at the presidency with Strauss-Kahn, a prominent party figure who headed the International Monetary Fund.
Aubry, author of France's 35-hour workweek, is a less charismatic and forceful figure than Strauss-Kahn or Sarkozy, but is seen as steady and committed to core Socialist causes such as social welfare.
In announcing her candidacy yesterday, Aubry denounced what she called policies "led exclusively for the profit of the most privileged."
She pledged "decent" pensions, an overhaul of public services, and better paychecks, though didn't detail how these would be paid for. In the primary, she may face her predecessor, Francois Hollande - who leads in most polls.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
