French right savages IMF boss Strauss-Kahn

[pampango]

Source: Agence France Presse

French President Nicolas Sarkozy's right-wing allies have launched a full-frontal assault on his potential -- but undeclared -- rival in next year's presidential election, IMF boss Dominique Strauss-Kahn.

The speculation has infuriated Sarkozy's UMP party. In recent days, its leading lights have launched virulent attacks on Strauss-Kahn, a Socialist former finance minister whom, ironically, Sarkozy backed to become IMF chief.

They dismissed the silver-haired IMF boss as a rich "champagne socialist," a man who has been away too long to still be in touch with France, and a cosmopolitan type who is not "the image of... the France we love." It was that last charge, by the leader of the UMP in parliament Christian Jacob, that most angered Strauss-Kahn's Socialist allies, who saw in it veiled anti-Semitism.

Socialist deputy Pierre Moscovici said it "resembles a little the rhetoric of the far-right between the two world wars" who used such terms to attack French Jewish Socialists. "The right is starting to plant mines," said political analyst Stephane Rozes. Strauss-Kahn's allies say the ferocity of the attacks show that the IMF chief is the Socialist candidate the right fears the most.

Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5g0xCynAD1h8fLgdjzvSIin7iyhmg?docId=CNG.47936d8fedf906bd6be166409db4c5c6.221

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Segolene Royal who was Sarkozy's Socialist opponent in the 2007 election has already declared herself to be a candidate. I wonder if Sarkozy would prefer to have Royal as an opponent or if his right wingers blast Royal and Strauss-Kahn equally.

Sometimes things seem so different in Europe. Conservatives and the far-right blast the IMF chief who is a Socialist and speaks against income inequality within and among nations. Perhaps the fact that he's a member of the Socialist Party is more important to them than his IMF stewardship.

[Demeter]

1. Those are France's Choices? Sarkozy or Dominique?

They are in worse shape than we are.

[stillwaiting]

2. A "socialist IMF Boss" is probably not a socialist.

I take all speeches or proclamations he makes to try and gain the trust of the masses as political theater and nothing more.

[LeftishBrit]

3. Euurrrrggghhhh!

'a cosmopolitan type who is not "the image of... the France we love"' - sounds disgustingly xenophobic and yes, in the context, probably antisemitic.

Sounds like something LePen would say.

While a chair of the IMF, especially one nominated by Sarkozy to the position, is probably not the most left-wing Socialist that ever existed, I am sure he'd be better than the RW nuts.