Far from the Poitou-Charentes region where she is president, Ségolène Royal maintained her cheerful demeanor and sun-kissed look from her holidays in the south. Quite naturally, she arrived at the venue by walking with friends, accompanied by Patrick Allemand, who came with his daughter. After heartily shaking dozens of hands, she quickly settled in and signed autographs in abundance. Fans took the opportunity to dig out her latest best-seller, Ma plus belle histoire c’est vous, from the library, eager to leave with a souvenir photo. Unfortunately for them, the 2007 presidential election finalist did not have the leisure to engage in in-depth discussions with her readers.
Ségolène Proposes
Ségolène Royal did not wish to dwell on current events within the Socialist Party. The purpose of promoting herself for the upcoming Reims congress was clear, however. Nevertheless, she also refrained from commenting on her main competitors for the position of the party’s first secretary. Preferring to speak more about her latest book, she offered the people of Nice a glimpse of her social vision, briefly covering “the main issues that citizens want to understand.” Since the left needs ideas, all one has to do is ask. Energy crisis, inflation, or retirement anxiety. These are the topics addressed in her work. Ségolène Royal denounces a lack of humanity in current politics: “I am for participatory democracy where every citizen should influence the content of political decisions. In each of these, human values can be highlighted.”
Seeing the admirers of the cause crowd into the narrow Nice bookstore, Patrick Allemand did not hide his pride. The Socialist Party representative on the Côte d’Azur demonstrated his unwavering commitment to his colleague.
a glance to the right
Without necessarily entering the debate on the Beijing Olympics, Ségolène Royal did not hesitate to issue strong criticism regarding Nicolas Sarkozy’s behavior in China: “The president did not keep his word. He should now explain himself to the French.” Despite a literary context she wishes to maintain intact, she willingly answers questions when it comes to marking her natural opposition to her perennial rival. The lady of the left chooses her words carefully: “It is not only by bowing down but also by standing firm that we can defend our commercial interests abroad.”
At the end of her visit to Nice, Ségolène Royal did not lose faith in the future. Among the many aphorisms she let slip, the socialist maintains a strong conviction: “France today mainly needs hope.”
