Segolene Royal

[MrCanary]

Some of the strange comments and remarks in interviews given by Segolene Royal before her election defeat were perhaps reflected in her comments following this week's break-up of her long partnership that produced 4 children.

"I have asked Francois Hollande to leave our home, to live his love life in his own way, which has been laid open in books and magazines, and I've told him that I want him to be happy," Royal was quoted as saying in the book Segolene Royal - Les coulisses d'une defaite (Behind the scenes of a defeat). News of the split overshadowed the results of Sunday's parliamentary election, which the Socialists lost to the conservative allies of President Nicolas Sarkozy.

"The break-up," Le Parisien daily said in a banner headline, mentioning the election results only in a small sub-heading.

Commentators wondered what impact the power couple's separation would have on the party's leadership battle. Royal has made clear she wants the top party job, but Hollande has said he will not leave his post until the autumn of 2008.

Hollande said yesterday there was "no political cause" and "no political consequence" from the break-up.

"I don't think I'll do anything against him," Royal told French radio.

 

.....I don't think I'll do anything against him? Bit of an attitude if you ask me......

 

[Clair]

From what I have read over the last couple of days, Royal will only challenge for the leadership if her proposed reforms are positively received by the party.

The current thinking is to hold the next conference after the local elections of 2008 and that's when Hollande's leadership would naturally come to an end, unless he chose to stand again.

I was taken aback by the vicious tone of this article about the split:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/portal/main.jhtml?xml=/portal/2007/06/19/nosplit/ftroyal119.xml

[Logan]

Recent events have illustrated what a complete charade the Socialist Presidential election campaign really was. Displays of unity and comforting stories of their ‘complete’ relationship. How nauseating to read he was effectively living with another woman. The muzzled French press could not tell the truth. Imagine for a moment if Royal had been elected. I guess under those circumstances Hollande may have sacrificed his love life for a taste of power. I am just happy the French people could see through her. The vindictive and spiteful nature of Royal was apparent in that one to one TV debate with Sarko. If I were Francois Hollande I would be watching my back. 

[MrCanary]

[quote user="Logan"]

I am just happy the French people could see through her. The vindictive and spiteful nature of Royal was apparent in that one to one TV debate with Sarko. If I were Francois Hollande I would be watching my back. 

[/quote]

I hadn't realised he had been living with another woman, so perhaps that is the reason she is the way she is.....

Or is it because 'she is the way that she is', that he is living with another woman?

Whatever the truth is behind their closed doors, there was clear evidence in her Sarko interview, as you say Logan, that she has a very nasty streak... 

[Tourangelle]

[quote user="Clair"]From what I have read over the last couple of days, Royal will only challenge for the leadership if her proposed reforms are positively received by the party.

The current thinking is to hold the next conference after the local elections of 2008 and that's when Hollande's leadership would naturally come to an end, unless he chose to stand again.

I was taken aback by the vicious tone of this article about the split:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/portal/main.jhtml?xml=/portal/2007/06/19/nosplit/ftroyal119.xml

[/quote]

It is vicious, that Telegraph article.  Poor little François, if nasty little Ségolène had been looking after him properly as she should, none of this would have happened. Shame on her for wanting to step out of his shadow.

[woolybanana (ex tag)]

The article seems to get it about right.

[hoverfrog]

I hate to get embroiled in a political discussion, but in this area (87) ségolene is a hero(ine), as is François.

I bet maggie thatcher wasn't easy to live with either - no wonder Dennis turned to drink!

Any woman who has tried to combine a career with a family life knows just how hard that can be. I felt that the article referred to was nothing more than gossip and slander and had nothing to do with her politics or what she has achieved or what she was trying to do.

I think she lost the battle on the televised debate with sarcozy - but not on policies but because he acted like a president and she didn't. The unthinking voter is proven by research to vote for the person that comes across as being their image of a leader regardless of what they believe in.

I have a horrible feeling that France is going to become very different now - and not for the better. The france that we came over here for - better family values, etc, will go and it will be left like the UK was after Maggie Thatcher had finished with it.

Just my 2C - and now I'm retiring with my flame-proof knickers on!!!

[MrCanary]

I agree, it is usually much more difficult for a woman to get involved in a career and run a family - but Royal made it commonly known that she did not run her family - they did it themselves, aided by domestic staff and nannies. Thus, her politics were no more difficult for her to manage than her male opponents.

And yes, her TV debate did not help her at all because it showed up her true character - nasty.

There will be changes under the new president, that is inevitable. Some will be unpalatable, that is also inevitable. My fear is that Royal will stand again in a few years time and dupe the voters by her 'charm'. If that happens, the real national and international problems will follow.

Mel 

[Logan]

Hoverfrog wrote:-

"I have a horrible feeling that France is going to become very different now "

That's why she lost the election Hoverfrog. Her platform was more socialism, more of the same. The French people are fed up to the back teeth of stagnation, unemployment and decline. The majority of the people want change and yes a different France. A country where individual opportunity and improvement prevails. Market capitalism over vague ideas of the socialist collective. The French socialist party will have to re-invent itself along the lines of T. Blair if it is to remain politically relevant in the future. In my view Royal is now politically a dead duck.

[Russethouse]

As Helena Frith Powell was the author of one of the few books I have ever thrown away I am certainly not hanging on to her every word.I wonder how her husband felt when she described how tempted she was to have an affair?

I suspect that being obliged to work with with the father of her children while knowing he was with another woman was very difficult - no wonder  Segolene was a bit acid at times!

[Clair]

[quote user="Logan"]In my view Royal is now politically a dead duck. [/quote]

I disagree. She is trying to change to PS and move it away from its traditional values, which is why she made an overture towards Bayrou for the 2nd round of the législatives.

The fact that he could not be seen as aligning himself with a party from the left does not take away from her attempt.

During the last stages of the presidential election, she tried to appeal to traditionalist left wingers, by I believe her 'heart' is more centre-left than we have been allowed to see.

If she gains the PS leadership (or a stronger following now that she's officially ditched her OH and what he represents), my feeling is that she will probably follow TB's route.

[Clair]

[quote user="Russethouse"]As Helena Frith Powell was the author of one of the few books I have ever thrown away I am certainly not hanging on to her every word.[/quote]

She makes a living from her life in France, so she's seen as qualified to represent French views! Her articles are lightweight, shallow and recycle traditional clichés.

Still, I suppose that's what Telegraph readers expect and she delivers...

I have not bought nor read any of her books.

I thought the article was particularly vicious and bitchy. A man would not have written in that way.

[Christine Animal]

"I thought the article was particularly vicious and bitchy."

That's exactly how it came over to me Clair.  If this person, who I have never heard of, lives in France, it doesn't seem to have rubbed off on her much !

A couple's private life is their own personal affair, not to be judged and commented on by others who can't possibly know anything about it.  The eventual consequences on the political scene is something else.  Seeing such articles by such people makes me feel so glad to have become so French.   [:)]

 

[Clair]

Article in today's Libération (left wing paper): http://www.liberation.fr/actualite/politiques/

Article in today's Le Monde (centre right): http://www.lemonde.fr/web/article/

Article in today's Le Figaro (right wing): http://www.lefigaro.fr/royal_organise_sa_conquete_du_parti_socialiste.html

[Logan]

A couple's private life is their own personal affair, not to be judged and commented on by others who can't possibly know anything about it.

Yes but Royal and Hollande made a virtue of theirs during the campaign. We now know it was a sham so the media are entitled in my view to have an open season on her. A bit like John Major punting ideas of 'family values' whilst he was screwing Madame Currie. If they try to sell us a false image. Comeuppance is then due.

[Christine Animal]

Agreed on that Logan concerning giving a false image on the public and political front.  These are the type of remarks I was referring to :

"She may look like the sort of woman that every man would love to be seen with, but I suspect Ségolène is far from easy to live with.

Where on earth was François on her list of priorities? After the politics? After the children? When I met her, she said the one good thing about having so many children was that they tended to look after each other. Sadly that is not the case with lovers, as Ségolène has now found out."

 

[Russethouse]

[quote user="Logan"]

A couple's private life is their own personal affair, not to be judged and commented on by others who can't possibly know anything about it.

Yes but Royal and Hollande made a virtue of theirs during the campaign. We now know it was a sham so the media are entitled in my view to have an open season on her. A bit like John Major punting ideas of 'family values' whilst he was screwing Madame Currie. If they try to sell us a false image. Comeuppance is then due.

[/quote]

Maybe he would have gone back if she had won ! The rat [:-))]

[Christine Animal]

... and talking of trying to sell us a false image, what about the present Presidential couple !   [:P]

But who cares !

 

[Tourangelle]

[quote user="Mel "]

And yes, her TV debate did not help her at all because it showed up her true character - nasty.[/quote]

That's so naive! She did that on purpose, you don't get to be president of a region and candidate for a major party in a presidential election without having some political skill!

[MrCanary]

[quote user="Russethouse"]

I suspect that being obliged to work with with the father of her children while knowing he was with another woman was very difficult - no wonder  Segolene was a bit acid at times!

[/quote]

Hmm.... But what came first? The chicken or the egg? If what I have seen of her is a true reflection of her personality, no wonder he sought solace in the arms of another woman!

Naive? I think not - I know what I saw and I have spent a lifetime assessing characters and personalities. I will stick with 'nasty' thank you!

[Logan]

[quote user="Christine Animal"]

... and talking of trying to sell us a false image, what about the present Presidential couple !   [:P]

But who cares !

 

[/quote]

These e mail notifications really nag at you[:D] Christine, I don't recall Sarkozy trying to sell himself  his wife and the family as 'the perfect couple' during the election. Rather he preferred the realities of policy and the argument of what you see is what you will get. Royal and Hollande tried to milk their relationship for all it was worth. Her image might go down well in the Charante but national politics is different. I think she is transparently phoney.

[Hoddy]

I don’t know enough about them to comment on Madame Royal’s policies, but I do believe that the article by Helena Frith Powell is a disgrace. It gives no useful information to the British reader who might be interested in France.

So Ms Powell thinks that Madame Royal would be ‘difficult to live with’ and she doesn’t strike her as ‘the homely type’. I wouldn’t have thought that either of those attributes were necessary to be a good president. Clair is right when she says that a man would not have written in that way. I don’t believe that Ms Powell would have written about a man in that way either.

She mentions Mr Merkel and Denis Thatcher, but neither of these men appear to have political ambition. Is the press more vicious when both partners have political ambition, or at least strong political views ? Much of the criticism of Hillary Clinton, for example seems to go way beyond dislike of her policies.

Hoddy

[Russethouse]

Well Mel, These two liked each other well enough to have FOUR children ........[:D] Do the crime, do the time......[;-)]

PS. Just a little detour (re Hoddys comment)I heard Carl Bernstein talking about his new book on Hilary Clinton, which apparently attempts to give a rounded picture of her - boy, does she sound ruthless........but then she isn't trying to be Mary Poppins is she?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Woman-Charge-Hillary-Rodham-Clinton/dp/0091920787/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/026-5102568-6085261?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1182353543&sr=8-1

 

[Clair]

Re Carl Bernstein: I already have that one on my wish list (€22 from Amazon.fr). The Sunday Times published a series of extracts last month.

[TreizeVents]

[quote user="Clair"]

I was taken aback by the vicious tone of this article about the split:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/portal/main.jhtml?xml=/portal/2007/06/19/nosplit/ftroyal119.xml

[/quote]

I certainly agree with you one hundred percent.  That Helena Frith Powell is a menace.  She used to write for an English language French paper, the column about my area.  The writing was so, how can I put it, aimed squarely at rich, upper middle class, conservative people, stuff you could find out in any newspaper, not creative and really poor.  I am actually surprised that the Daily Telegraph printed it.  What a nasty piece of work.