France’s news media, outraged at how US law enforcement treated Dominique Strauss-Kahn, is ready to rip America.
Le Monde, the leading newspaper, which ran an article about the “two faces” of his accuser, trumpeted yesterday’s turnabout in the case with a headline that read “DSK Scores.”
Le Figaro’s political editor said DSK may be ready to legally “settle scores” with Americans for the way he was “dragged through the mud.”
France’s newspapers and TV have been seething for weeks about the way Strauss-Kahn was “perp-walked” by police after his arrest.
Meanwhile, the former International Monetary Fund head is being hailed by his political allies as a major force — and possibly a candidate — in next year’s French presidential race.
“This is a thunderbolt,” former Prime Minister Lionel Jospin, a Strauss-Kahn ally, said of word that Manhattan prosecutors may drop the sex-assault rap.
Before his arrest two months ago, Strauss-Kahn was considered the heavy favorite to lead his Socialist Party in a landslide defeat of incumbent Nicolas Sarkozy.
Socialist leaders said yesterday that DSK was certain to play a major role in the bid to oust Sarkozy, regarded as the most unpopular French leader since the creation of the Fifth Republic 53 years ago.
“His presence alongside us would be decisive for our success in the presidential election,” said a Socialist leader, Jack Lang. “We need him, we need his talent, we need his competence.”
“I don’t rule out that he could be a presidential candidate,” said another DSK ally, National Assembly member Jean-Marie Le Guen.
But Strauss-Kahn’s hopes for the Élysée Palace may run into scheduling trouble.
The filing deadline for declaring he is seeking the Socialist nomination is July 13. It is not clear when Strauss-Kahn will be allowed to leave New York — or even be allowed to return to his homeland before the primary in October.
But officials said the political timetable may be put on hold to accommodate him.
“I have asked my colleagues if we can have a pause of decency in the primary process,” said Michele Sabban, a prominent Socialist.
DSK is also likely to benefit from the friendship of Martine Aubry, who became a front-runner for the Socialist nomination after declaring his candidacy Tuesday.
Before DSK’s arrest in May, there was speculation that Aubry would be his running mate in 2012.
Yesterday, Aubry expressed “immense joy” at word of the apparent collapse of the New York case against him.
“Speaking as a friend of DSK, I hope that the American justice system establishes all the truth . . . and allows Dominique to get out of this nightmare,” she told reporters.
There was no immediate comment from Sarkozy. In the last major pre-scandal presidential poll, he was losing badly, 39 to 61 percent, against Strauss-Kahn.
Nevertheless, there are those who cast doubt about DSK’s political resurrection.
Marine Le Pen, head of the right-wing National Front, said that even if the New York charges are dropped completely, they “definitely decredibilized him as the candidate for the highest office of state.”