November 26, 2006

Abstract: - Fewer adults in France believe women who participate in public service behave distinctly from their male counterparts, according to a poll by CSA published in Le Parisien. 50 per cent of respondents think female politicians are different than men, down five points since September.

- Fewer adults in France believe women who participate in public service behave distinctly from their male counterparts, according to a poll by CSA published in Le Parisien. 50 per cent of respondents think female politicians are different than men, down five points since September.

Current leader of the Poitou-Charentes regional government Ségolène Royal became the presidential nominee of the Socialist Party (PS) on Nov. 16, defeating former finance minister Dominique Strauss-Kahn and former prime minister Laurent Fabius in an internal primary with more than 60 per cent of all ballots.

On Nov. 24, Royal announced that the first legislation she would enact if she becomes president of France is "a law against violence perpetrated against women" similar to the one introduced by Spain in December 2005.

France has never had a female president. Edith Cresson served as prime minister from May 1991 to April 1992.

Jacques Chirac of the centre-right Union for a Popular Movement (UMP) won the presidential ballot in 1995, and was re-elected in a run-off over Jean-Marie Le Pen in May 2002. The next election is scheduled for Apr. 22, 2007. If no candidate garners more than 50 per cent of all cast ballots, a run-off would take place on May 6.

Polling Data

According to you, do women participate in politics in a different way than men, or the same as men?

	Nov. 2006	Sept. 2006
Different	50%	55%
The same	46%	41%
No reply	4%	4%

Source: CSA / Le Parisien
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 955 French adults, conducted on Nov. 15, 2006. No margin of error was provided.