Frances own Hillary
The week's news at a glance.
Paris
Populist Ségolène Royal will be the Socialist Party candidate for president in France’s election next year. The Socialists picked Royal, 53, over two more experienced male candidates, including a former prime minister and a former finance minister. Incumbent Jacques Chirac can’t run again, and his center-right party is fielding Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy, who until recently was considered a favorite. But the voters seem to love Royal. In the latest poll, large majorities said they found Sarkozy more authoritative, statesman-like, and competent, but they found Royal nicer and more honest—and they said they would choose her as president over him. Royal’s longtime partner and the father of her four children, Francois Hollande, is the head of the Socialist Party and is expected to run her campaign.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Continue reading for free
We hope you're enjoying The Week's refreshingly open-minded journalism.
Subscribed to The Week? Register your account with the same email as your subscription.
Sign up to our 10 Things You Need to Know Today newsletter
A free daily digest of the biggest news stories of the day - and the best features from our website
-
The daily gossip: Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes break silence on 'GMA' firing, Margot Robbie refused to move 'Barbie' away from 'Oppenheimer,' and more
The daily gossip: December 5, 2023
By Brendan Morrow, The Week US Published
-
Could the fight over the southern border kill American aid to Ukraine?
Today's Big Question Republican demands for boosted border security have thrown a major wrench in a much-needed aid package to help Ukraine
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
College football has a major controversy. Will Congress get involved?
Talking Point Why Florida State was left out of the College Football Playoff
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published