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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| France's Royal unveils manifesto | France's Royal unveils manifesto |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| The Socialist candidate in France's presidential election, Segolene Royal, has launched her manifesto in Paris. | The Socialist candidate in France's presidential election, Segolene Royal, has launched her manifesto in Paris. |
| She announced a 100-point platform with a strong emphasis on social programmes, promising a higher minimum wage and the construction of more low-rent housing. | She announced a 100-point platform with a strong emphasis on social programmes, promising a higher minimum wage and the construction of more low-rent housing. |
| Ms Royal has been criticised for delaying the release of her platform until just 10 weeks before the first round of elections. | Ms Royal has been criticised for delaying the release of her platform until just 10 weeks before the first round of elections. |
| She has fallen behind her right-wing rival Nicolas Sarkozy in opinion polls. | She has fallen behind her right-wing rival Nicolas Sarkozy in opinion polls. |
| Ms Royal unveiled her "presidential pact" in front of a cheering crowd of Socialist Party delegates who frequently broke into chants of "Segolene, president!" | Ms Royal unveiled her "presidential pact" in front of a cheering crowd of Socialist Party delegates who frequently broke into chants of "Segolene, president!" |
| "I feel today I can propose to you something more than a platform," she said. | "I feel today I can propose to you something more than a platform," she said. |
| "A pact of honour, a presidential pact that I propose to everyone, the most vulnerable and the strong, those who have been our supporters all along and those who have not, because France needs all its people." | "A pact of honour, a presidential pact that I propose to everyone, the most vulnerable and the strong, those who have been our supporters all along and those who have not, because France needs all its people." |
| Many of the 100 points already feature in the Socialist Party's election programme released last year. | Many of the 100 points already feature in the Socialist Party's election programme released last year. |
| Others, such as proposals to set up citizens' juries to evaluate the work of the National Assembly and military-style boot camps for young offenders are new ideas. | Others, such as proposals to set up citizens' juries to evaluate the work of the National Assembly and military-style boot camps for young offenders are new ideas. |
| 'Listening phase' | 'Listening phase' |
| Ms Royal said she wanted to boost the monthly minimum wage from 1,250 euros ($1,625, £834) to 1,500 euros, and build 120,000 low-rent homes every year. | Ms Royal said she wanted to boost the monthly minimum wage from 1,250 euros ($1,625, £834) to 1,500 euros, and build 120,000 low-rent homes every year. |
| Ms Royal spoke to a crowd of enthusiastic supportersBenefits for the unemployed would be raised and pensions increased for low-income retirees. | Ms Royal spoke to a crowd of enthusiastic supportersBenefits for the unemployed would be raised and pensions increased for low-income retirees. |
| Ms Royal has defended her decision to delay the release of her manifesto, saying she had been in a "listening phase" - gathering ideas from the people of France via the internet and thousands of public meetings across the country. | Ms Royal has defended her decision to delay the release of her manifesto, saying she had been in a "listening phase" - gathering ideas from the people of France via the internet and thousands of public meetings across the country. |
| Segolene Royal was France's political star of the second half of last year in France. | Segolene Royal was France's political star of the second half of last year in France. |
| She had a meteoric rise thanks to her crowd-pleasing campaigning skills and trounced two more senior party figures to gain the Socialist nomination for April's election. | |
| But since the New Year things have begun to unravel, reports Hugh Schofield. There have been gaffes, signs of internal dissent and Nicolas Sarkozy has surged ahead in the polls. | But since the New Year things have begun to unravel, reports Hugh Schofield. There have been gaffes, signs of internal dissent and Nicolas Sarkozy has surged ahead in the polls. |