Strauss-Kahn scents freedom but political comeback unlikely

France: With the sexual assault case against him on the point of collapse, former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn could in theory return to frontline French politics, but no-one expects a return in force.

New York prosecutors have asked the judge to dismiss all charges against Strauss-Kahn at a hearing on Tuesday, and he is expected to do so.

Even among the 62-year-old Socialist’s most ardent admirers, few expect him to resurrect his campaign to unseat Nicolas Sarkozy in presidential elections next year, but some still want him to play a role in the national debate.

Experts and pollsters warn, however, that despite apparently prevailing in the case against him in New York he has seen his image indelibly tarnished and cannot but be a burden to the party he once yearned to lead.

The big guns of the Socialist Party have already begun a primary campaign to choose a champion to challenge Sarkozy and — however cautious their words in public — they would not welcome their former comrade back to the race. Party leader Martine Aubry, rival Francois Hollande and former acolyte Manuel Valls all spoke of their “relief” that their comrade’s ordeal was almost over — but none called on him to rush back to the domestic fray.

“I don’t think he can hope for a centre stage role in French politics now,” said political scientist Gerard Grunberg of the prestigious Sciences-Po school in Paris, as New York prosecutors prepared their announcement. Paris, Tuesday, AFP