<p>This spring, the Socialist Party’s strongest potential competitor to conservative President Nicolas Sarkozy became the target of sex-crimes accusations that grabbed headlines across the world, and focussed attention on Dominique Strauss-Kahn’s history of infidelities. Now, the French appear to be in the mood for a change.<br /><br />On Sunday, the Socialists nominated Francois Hollande, an affable, soft-spoken and witty former longtime party boss, as their candidate for what is likely to be a presidential election showdown next May against the divisive Sarkozy.<br /><br />In recent months, Hollande has said he wants to be a “normal” president. Opinion polls suggest the strategy may be working, showing Hollande is far more popular than the vastly unpopular incumbent.<br /><br />When asked “Why you?” Hollande answered: “Because I can beat Nicolas Sarkozy.”<br />Hollande, a bespectacled 57-year-old career politician, has built his reputation as a manager and consensus-builder more than a visionary. <br /><br />Sarkozy’s backers went on the counteroffensive on Monday, trying to depict Hollande as wishy-washy, lacklustre and unprincipled. “What do people say about Francois Hollande? They say he’s skillful; they never say he’s courageous,” said Jean-Francois Cope, who leads Sarkozy’s UMP party.<br /><br />Sarkozy has had no shortage of bold decisions — not all perceived as good for France — and he has grown unpopular: His ratings have hovered around 30 per cent for months, after winning with 53 per cent of the vote in 2007.</p>
<p>This spring, the Socialist Party’s strongest potential competitor to conservative President Nicolas Sarkozy became the target of sex-crimes accusations that grabbed headlines across the world, and focussed attention on Dominique Strauss-Kahn’s history of infidelities. Now, the French appear to be in the mood for a change.<br /><br />On Sunday, the Socialists nominated Francois Hollande, an affable, soft-spoken and witty former longtime party boss, as their candidate for what is likely to be a presidential election showdown next May against the divisive Sarkozy.<br /><br />In recent months, Hollande has said he wants to be a “normal” president. Opinion polls suggest the strategy may be working, showing Hollande is far more popular than the vastly unpopular incumbent.<br /><br />When asked “Why you?” Hollande answered: “Because I can beat Nicolas Sarkozy.”<br />Hollande, a bespectacled 57-year-old career politician, has built his reputation as a manager and consensus-builder more than a visionary. <br /><br />Sarkozy’s backers went on the counteroffensive on Monday, trying to depict Hollande as wishy-washy, lacklustre and unprincipled. “What do people say about Francois Hollande? They say he’s skillful; they never say he’s courageous,” said Jean-Francois Cope, who leads Sarkozy’s UMP party.<br /><br />Sarkozy has had no shortage of bold decisions — not all perceived as good for France — and he has grown unpopular: His ratings have hovered around 30 per cent for months, after winning with 53 per cent of the vote in 2007.</p>
