French could elect their first female president
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PARIS — Riding a wave of popular disgust with France’s political status quo, Segolene Royal on Thursday captured the Socialist Party’s nomination for president, a race that could make her France’s first female head of state.
Royal, 53, is a single mother of four and protege of the late President Francois Mitterrand.
The newspaper Le Monde estimated she captured about 61% of the vote in turning back challenges from two party stalwarts: former Finance Minister Dominique Strauss-Kahn and former Prime Minister Laurent Fabius.
More than a dozen contenders are expected in the first round of the presidential balloting, on April 22.
The two top vote-getters will then face each other in a runoff May 6.
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