If Cleared, Dominique Strauss-Kahn Could Return To French Politics: Socialists

Dominique Strauss-Kahn, who may soon be a free man after serious questions have been raised about the credibility of the woman who accused him of sexual assault, might be able to enter the 2012 presidential race in France, according to a report in the British paper The Daily Telegraph.

Michele Sabban, the vice-president of the Paris region council, s told France’s LCI television that due to new developments in Dominique Strauss-Kahn’s case, the country’s Socialist party should suspend the current primary. (Prior to his arrest in New York, Dominique Strauss-Kahn was the widely expected to win the Socialist party’s presidential nomination).

If Dominique Strauss-Kahn is cleared, I ask the Socialist party to suspend the primary process, she said.

Similarly, French politician Jack Lang, a former Socialist minister of culture minister and a strong supporter of Dominique Strauss-Kahn told media: “He [Dominique Strauss-Kahn] could still play a major role in France, without being candidate. This would give an extra chance for victory.”

Lang added that even if Dominique Strauss-Kahn chooses not to run for president, he could possibly serve as a minister under a Socialist president.

Socialist MP Francois Pupponi reportedly told French media that Dominique Strauss-Kahn might make a comeback, provided he wants to,” although he added: It would be extraordinary all the same.

Jean-Marie Le Guen, a member of the National Assembly of France, was even more adamant. He told France Inter radio that Strauss-Kahn will be present in the presidential campaign if he's cleared.

However, some are skeptical that Dominique Strauss-Kahn can ever return to active political life given the tawdry nature of the charges against him and the revelation of many previous indiscretions.

Christophe Barbier, a political commentator and editor of L'Express weekly, told the Telegraph: Even if what he [Dominique Strauss-Kahn] did was not criminal, all this is going to take time. There is everything we have learned about him, the damage to his reputation. All this makes the idea he could be a candidate very hypothetical, it's science fiction.

Before his arrest in May, French polls showed that Dominique Strauss-Kahn could defeat Nicholas Sarkozy in a head-to-head battle for the presidency.

Since then two prominent Socialists, Martine Aubry and Francois Hollande, have officials said they would run for the presidency,
Socialists wishing to put their name as a potential candidate have until July 13. Thereafter a primary will be held in October to select the candidate that will challenge incumbent President Sarkozy next May.

Meanwhile, the New York Times has reported that the 32-year-old maid from Guinea, West Africa, who is at the center of the Dominique Strauss-Kahn rape trial, may have lied about what happened in the hotel room, has connections to a drug dealer and has received unusual deposits in her bank account.