Nationality: French
Past Offices Held: Minister of the Environment, Minister for Youth and Children
Current Offices: President of the Poitou-Charentes Region, Regional Deputy
Party: Parti Socialiste (Socialist Party)
Ségolène Royal, born in Sénégal, is currently a key contender for the leadership of the French Socialist Party. After narrowly losing the 2007 French Presidential election, she is considered a major contender for the Socialist Party Presidential nomination in 2012, when French President Nicolas Sarkozy is up for re-election.
She is one of the primary leaders of the French Socialist Party. Her former partner, François Hollande, is the current leader of the Socialist Party.
2007 French Presidential Candidates Segolene Royal (Top) and Nicolas Sarkozy (Bottom)
2007 French Presidential Election
In 2007, Ségolène Royal became the first woman in France to be nominated for president by one of the two major parties (there have been women nominated by several of the much smaller parties). Her opponent was former Minister of the Interior Nicolas Sarkozy.
Ms. Royal narrowly lost the election to Mr. Sarkozy, having won more votes than any female candidate for president in French history.
Campaign Posters from the 2007 French Presidential Election.
