French Socialist sees little chance of election win so far

Socialist party leader Jean-Christophe Cambadelis said on Saturday that so far none of the Socialist candidates would be able to win the 2017 presidential election or even make it into the second round.

French President Francois Hollande’s chances of being re-elected next May are seen as increasingly remote following recent revelations in a book written by two Le Monde journalists about remarks on secret matters, Islam and judges.

The Socialist Party is divided and Hollande has not yet declared he will seek a second term. An opinion poll early in October put him in 12th place among voters looking at presidential possibles.

“At this stage no putative candidate, whoever he is, seems unable to beat the right. And even pass the first round,” Cambadelis said in an interview with French newspaper La Nouvelle Republique.

Opinion polls suggest that the winner of the Republican party primary vote will be favourite to win the presidential election in April, most likely in a run-off against far-right National Front leader Marine Le Pen.

Prime Minister Manuel Valls appealed for unity at a party rally on Saturday.

“I know what our debates are, but in the end, what brings us together?” he said. “The fact that we governed together with the president and values of the Republic”.

Cambadelis called for his party members to support one candidate who would be chosen during primaries.

“I think it is necessary that we should be united despite disagreements. We have the primaries to overcome all this,” Cambadelis added.