Strauss-Kahn would beat Sarkozy in Presidential run-off, says poll

There has been widespread speculation for months that Dominique Strauss-Kahn, a Socialist Party big-wig and the current head of the International Monetary Fund, may return to French politics to face off with Nicolas Sarkozy in the 2012 Presidential election. DSK, as he is known in France, has always refused to say whether or not he would run for the Presidency…until now. Libération reports on how Strauss-Kahn yesterday hinted for the first time that a presidential bid is a possibility. On RTL radio he said he “might, in certain circumstances, ask himself the question” of whether or not he would see out his mandate at the IMF which is due to end in November 2012. This is a cautious admission that he may leave that post to contest the next Presidential election in France.

Marianne, a French left-wing magazine, has conducted a poll which “DSK” might find interesting given his ambitions. It says that if he were to reach the second and final round of the 2012 election, he would get 52% of the vote, therefore beating Nicolas Sarkozy! Martine Aubry, the leader of the Socialist Party and the main contender along with DSK for the Socialist Party’s ticket, would get 48% of the vote, the poll says.

Another interesting finding in the poll – Sarkozy’s arch-rival within the UMP Party, Dominique de Villepin, would get 10% of the vote if he were to stand against Sarkozy in 2012.

Other articles in today’s French papers:

Le Parisien : “Euromillions lottery jackpot is €100m” The paper speculates on what the winner could do with the loot.

Le Figaro: “Ségolène Royal and François Bayrou marginalized”

Le Parisien: “Villepin poster erected at UMP Party headquarters in television prank”