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| France Socialists vote for Royal | France Socialists vote for Royal |
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| Segolene Royal will be the French Socialists' presidential candidate at next year's election, after beating two rivals in a ballot of party members. | Segolene Royal will be the French Socialists' presidential candidate at next year's election, after beating two rivals in a ballot of party members. |
| The 53-year-old mother-of-four hopes to become France's first woman leader. | The 53-year-old mother-of-four hopes to become France's first woman leader. |
| She won a clear victory over former Finance Minister Dominique Strauss-Kahn and ex-Prime Minister Laurent Fabius, avoiding a second round of voting. | |
| "To be chosen in this way is something extraordinary," she told reporters in the western region of Poitou-Charentes. | |
| "I want to embody change and give it credibility and legitimacy. And I think today, I have received this legitimacy." | |
| Both her rivals conceded, saying it was important for the Socialists to forget their differences and focus on the election, which has been set for 22 April. | |
| Race begins | |
| Ms Royal's main opponent from the right is widely expected to Home Affairs Minister Nicolas Sarkozy, although he has not officially announced that he is a candidate. | |
| Profiles: Socialist rivals | Profiles: Socialist rivals |
| Recent polls have suggested Ms Royal would stand an even chance of beating Mr Sarkozy in the presidential poll - but her two rivals would not. | |
| The three contenders made bitter attacks on each other during the campaign. | The three contenders made bitter attacks on each other during the campaign. |
| If no candidate had achieved an overall majority of votes, there would have been a second round next week. | If no candidate had achieved an overall majority of votes, there would have been a second round next week. |
| But party officials said 60.6% of the party's 220,000 members had plumped for Ms Royal, a former environment minister. | But party officials said 60.6% of the party's 220,000 members had plumped for Ms Royal, a former environment minister. |
| Mr Strauss-Kahn took 20.8% of the vote and Mr Fabius 18.5%. | |
| Ms Royal's rivals tried to destabilise her campaign during the final days on the election trail. | Ms Royal's rivals tried to destabilise her campaign during the final days on the election trail. |
| Teachers reacted angrily after a video appeared on the internet last week featuring a party meeting earlier this year in which she said they should work longer hours in school. | Teachers reacted angrily after a video appeared on the internet last week featuring a party meeting earlier this year in which she said they should work longer hours in school. |
| Ms Royal responded by highlighting what she described as "chauvinistic comments" made by her rival candidates, something they strongly denied. | |