French might actually be starting to fight back!

FT.com / In depth - Poll surge unsettles French socialists’ bid: "Poll surge unsettles French socialists’ bid

By Martin Arnold in Méaulte

Published: March 12 2007 20:24 | Last updated: March 12 2007 20:24

Ségolène Royal’s faltering presidential campaign was dealt a further blow on Monday as François Hollande, the leader of her Socialist party and father of her children, admitted he was worried she would be knocked out in the first round of France’s election next month.

The comments underlined how worried Ms Royal’s campaign team is about the surprise surge in opinion polls by François Bayrou, candidate of the centrist UDF party, who has caught up with her in opinion polls and been dubbed the third man of the campaign.

Mr Hollande evoked the memory of the socialists’ disastrous performance in the last presidential elections, when far-right leader Jean-Marie Le Pen came second, eliminating Lionel Jospin, the former prime minister.

He said: “I’ve considered for a long time the prospect of another April 21st” – the date of the last election.

Mr Bayrou, who analysts say is collecting support from voters dissatisfied with the two mainstream party candidates, came level with Ms Royal in a poll published at the weekend.

Analysts interpreted Mr Hollande’s admissio"