France

Socialist crisis deepens after tight leadership vote

Article published on the 2008-11-22 Latest update 2008-11-22 14:00 TU

Christmas comes early for Martine Aubry ... or does it?
(Photo: Reuters)

Supporters of Socialist former presidential candidate Ségolène Royal want a recount after last night's election of party leader gave Mayor of Lille and former Employment Minister Martine Aubry victory by only 42 votes. The narrow result has done nothing to heal divisions in the country's main opposition party which have been paraded before the public during the election campaign.

After eight hours of counting and recounting, Aubry was declared the winner in the battle to become the party's First Secretary by 50.02 per cent to 49.98 per cent.

Ségolène Royal meets the press
(Photo: Reuters)

The Royal camp, which had claimed victory before the announcement, now wants a recount, claiming that there may have been fraud in two regions, the North and Seine-Maritime, north of Paris.

Overnight there were heated exchanges between the two candidates' supporters outside the party's Paris headquarters. No-one expects the atmosphere to improve in the next few days as the factions each stake their claim to victory.

Outgoing First Secretary François Hollande says that a National Committee meeting will be brought forward from next weekend to Tuesday evening to ratify the result. He hopes that will bring calm to the troubled party.