#World news RSS feed France RSS feed Europe RSS feed Nicolas Sarkozy RSS feed French elections 2012 RSS feed Turn autoplay off Turn autoplay on Please activate cookies in order to turn autoplay off * Jump to content [s] * Jump to site navigation [0] * Jump to search [4] * Terms and conditions [8] Edition: UK * US Sign in Mobile About us * About us * Contact us * Press office * Guardian Print Centre * Guardian readers' editor * Observer readers' editor * Terms of service * Privacy policy * Advertising guide * Digital archive * Digital edition * Guardian Weekly * Buy Guardian and Observer photos * Subscribe Today's paper * The Guardian * Comment and debate * Editorials, letters and corrections * Obituaries * Other lives * Sport * Review * Travel * Family * Money * Work * Weekend * The Guide * Subscribe Subscribe * Subscribe to the Guardian * iPhone app * iPad edition * Kindle * Extra * Guardian Weekly * Digital edition * All our services The Guardian home ____________________ [UK and World news] Search * News * Sport * Comment * Culture * Business * Money * Life & style * Travel * Environment * TV * Data * Video * Mobile * Offers * Jobs * News * World news * France Martine Aubry launches French presidential election bid Socialist party leader vies to become France's first woman president by trying to broaden appeal to centre and right * + Tweet this + IFRAME: http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?app_id=17841205555826 7&href=http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jun/28/martine-aub ry-french-presidential-election&send=false&layout=button_count &width=140&show_faces=false&action=recommend&colorscheme=light &font=arial&height=21 + [icon_reddit.gif] reddit this * Angelique Chrisafis in Paris * guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 28 June 2011 17.05 BST * Article history About this article Close Martine Aubry launches French presidential election bid This article was published on guardian.co.uk at 17.05 BST on Tuesday 28 June 2011. A version appeared on p19 of the Main section section of the Guardian on Wednesday 29 June 2011. It was last modified at 00.06 BST on Wednesday 29 June 2011. France's Socialist leader Martine Aubry Socialist leader Martine Aubry is under pressure to show a more human side, and reach out beyond traditional leftwing voters. Photograph: Benoit Tessier/REUTERS The Socialist party leader, Martine Aubry, has launched her campaign to be France's first woman president by trying to soften her hard-left image and appeal to centrists disillusioned with Nicolas Sarkozy. The 60-year-old former labour minister, best known for creating France's 35-hour week, in a speech in her fiefdom of Lille focused on her "dream" to make France a more equal place, not the polarised and gloomy society she said had been left by Sarkozy. Aubry entered the race after the dramatic exit from political life of former Socialist favourite Dominique Strauss-Kahn, who is facing attempted rape charges in the US. She tried to appear more determined to lead the nation, after detractors suggested she lacked "fire in the belly" and had been reticent to run. The French left is favourite in the polls to win the presidential election in spring 2012, and Aubry's bid marked the start of the Socialists' first ever US-style primary race to select a candidate. With Sarkozy's low poll ratings beginning to modestly rise again, the Socialists must be able to broaden their appeal to the centre and right. The favourite to win the primary vote in October is François Hollande, a former party leader and centrist who has appealed to the middle class. But Aubry, traditionally placed more to the left, is catching up with him. Aubry pointedly launched her presidential bid in Lille, where she is mayor and presents herself as close to the people. She chose a local cultural centre, a dig at Sarkozy's famed dismissal of culture and intellectuals during the previous presidential campaign. Aubry, a fan of classical music and a culture expert, will be relying on the backing of key figures in film and the arts. Crucially, Aubry's stage set â a blue backdrop similar to those used by Sarkozy, French and European flags, with Socialist party logos or Socialist bigwigs â was designed to show she was above party politics and not confined by the creaking Socialist party apparatus. She took a swipe at Sarkozy's rushed and omnipresent style and his divisive policies that have pitted workers against the unemployed and the French against foreigners. "Behind what looks today like energy, but could be seen as restlessness, the reality is unfair policies that solely benefit the most privileged. It is time that changed," she said. "I want to give back France its strength, serenity and unity." The northern setting highlighted the Socialists' biggest challenge for 2012. The party has lost the support of the working-class and the old industrial heartlands have recently seen staunchly leftwing areas switch to the far-right Front National. Aubry also gave a nod to her personal political dynasty â she is the daughter of Jacques Delors, the former Socialist finance minister and president of the European Commission â saying she had learned inclusiveness from her family. Also expected to stand in the three-month primary race are Ségolène Royal, the defeated Socialist candidate in 2007, and several outsider candidates, including the young MPs Arnaud Montebourg and Manuel Valls. Leader comment, page 32 * Print this Printable version * Send to a friend * Share * Clip * Contact us * larger | smaller Email Close Recipient's email address ____________________ Your first name ____________________ Your surname ____________________ Add a note (optional) _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ Send Your IP address will be logged Share Close Short link for this page: http://gu.com/p/3v7ed * StumbleUpon * reddit * Tumblr * Digg * LinkedIn * Google Bookmarks * del.icio.us * livejournal * Facebook * Twitter Contact us Close * Report errors or inaccuracies: reader@guardian.co.uk * Letters for publication should be sent to: letters@guardian.co.uk * If you need help using the site: userhelp@guardian.co.uk * Call the main Guardian and Observer switchboard: +44 (0)20 3353 2000 * + Advertising guide + License/buy our content World news * France · * Europe · * Nicolas Sarkozy · * French elections 2012 More news Related * 22 Jan 2012 Francois Hollande stages first major rally in 2012 French presidential race * 26 Jun 2011 The French Socialist presidential primary contenders * 13 Jun 2011 Chirac the liberator * 30 Aug 2011 French socialists: primary colours * Print this Printable version * Send to a friend * Share * Clip * Contact us * Article history Email Close Recipient's email address ____________________ Your first name ____________________ Your surname ____________________ Add a note (optional) _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ Send Your IP address will be logged Share Close Short link for this page: http://gu.com/p/3v7ed * StumbleUpon * reddit * Tumblr * Digg * LinkedIn * Google Bookmarks * del.icio.us * livejournal * Facebook * Twitter Contact us Close * Report errors or inaccuracies: reader@guardian.co.uk * Letters for publication should be sent to: letters@guardian.co.uk * If you need help using the site: userhelp@guardian.co.uk * Call the main Guardian and Observer switchboard: +44 (0)20 3353 2000 * + Advertising guide + License/buy our content About this article Close Martine Aubry launches French presidential election bid This article was published on guardian.co.uk at 17.05 BST on Tuesday 28 June 2011. 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