1979 INSTEAD OF 1789?:

Ségolène faces uphill struggle for hearts and minds of France (Daily Mail, 23rd April 2007)

Ms Royal, 53, is sometimes called Mitterand's political daughter and she has pledged to pursue traditional policies of the Left.

They include increased state aid for the unemployed (who make up almost 10 per cent of the population) intervention on the part of workers affected by globalisation and a massive campaign against social exclusion.

Mr Sarkozy, 52, says further featherbedding by the state will lead France into deeper economic stagnation, stifling opportunities which - especially for the young - are already few.

During his campaign Mr Sarkozy visited a city where he knew there were 400,000 potential votes - London. He has pointed to Britain as an example of how free market policies and a laissez-faire attitude towards business can bring growth and prosperity.

The French population in Britain, especially London, has grown substantially as workers seek opportunities they cannot find at home, a point he stressed again and again.

For many, his message bears echoes of Thatcherism. He wants to make the 35-hour working week a minimum, rather than a maximum.

He wants to shift the emphasis from employment by the state to a revitalised business sector. He wants to sell social housing to its tenants. Unlike his opponents on the Left, he does not despise what is called the "Anglo Saxon model".

Ms Royal, by contrast, has pledged that her socialism would not reflect that of New Labour across the Channel and she has pointedly said that she would never bend her knee to George Bush.