France's Royal backs former partner

Defeated Socialist Party presidential hopeful Ségolène Royal will back party favourite Francois Hollande, her former companion…

Defeated Socialist Party presidential hopeful Ségolène Royal will back party favourite Francois Hollande, her former companion, in a primary runoff on Sunday, giving him a small boost against rival Martine Aubry.

Her move came as a second poll showed Mr Hollande, a moderate left-winger, remains in the lead by several points to be picked as the Socialist candidate for the 2012 presidential election.

Ms Royal, who wept after coming fourth in Sunday's first-round primary vote with 7 per cent to Mr Hollande's 39 per cent, said in a statement she would back the man who is father of her four children because he was best placed to win.

"Today I am putting all my support behind Francois Hollande," said Royal, who was the Socialist Party's unsuccessful presidential challenger in 2007. "We must give impetus to the candidate with a clear lead that will not leave the right any foothold."

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Mr Hollande replied by statement: "I welcome the elegance and responsibility the woman who was our [presidential] candidate in 2007 and who understands how vital unity is to the strength of an electoral campaign."

Mr Hollande's victory over Ms Aubry, a stauncher leftist who helped bring in France's 35-hour work week, looks less certain since hardline leftist Arnaud Montebourg landed in third place in the first round with a stronger than expected 17 per cent, suggesting strong support for his more radical ideas.

In the first poll of second-round voting plans since then, an Opinionway survey of left-wing voters yesterday showed Mr Hollande's predicted score slipped four points to 54 percent while Ms Aubry's rose four points to 46 percent.

A second survey today by Harris Interactive found 53 per cent of left-wing voters would back Mr Hollande in the second round of the Socialist primary on Sunday against 47 per cent for his rival Ms Aubry, a more old-school leftist.

Mr Hollande and Ms Royal separated in 2007, shortly after Ms Royal lost that year's presidential election to conservative Nicolas Sarkozy, following a 29-year relationship that made them the golden couple of the French left.

Reuters