Opinion

Shock waves from Strauss-Kahn's arrest

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2011-05-19 13:40

PARIS - The arrest of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) chief on charges of sexual assault and attempted rape in the United States has captured the headlines of world media for days.

Considered as one of politicians with enormous clout in France, and one of the most powerful decision-makers in global financial world, Strauss-Kahn's scandal triggered huge shock waves, shaking not only the French politics but also the IMF role in helping the debt-ridden European economy.

FRENCH POLITICS LANDSCAPE RESHAPED

In the latest poll conducted by Harris Interactive for Le Parisien daily newspaper, Dominique Strauss-Kahn was well ahead of other presidential candidates in the presidential election in 2012. He garnered the support of 41 percent of Socialist sympathizers, far more than his left-wing rivals, turning him into the biggest competitor of President Nicolas Sarkozy.

Once being the French Economy Minister and now director of the IMF, Strauss-Kahn's international stature and networks in politics contributed a lot to his popularity.

Before his arrest on May 14, Strauss-Kahn was the front-runner for months in French polls foreseeing 2012 presidential election. All polls that had favored him lost their values overnight.

"Disbelief, shame, humiliation" are words used to label the case's impact on France, though the French are known for their tolerance towards the excesses of some public figures' private lives.

The gravity of Strass-Kahn's case this time made politicians agree that all outcomes can be expected for the Socialist Party, for he is regarded as the premier candidate of the party.

French daily Le Monde said the arrest cast shadow on the ex-minister's political future and ended his potential for vying for presidency.

French right-wing, especially the ruling UMP Party, chose to be cautious instead of rejoicing at the windfall profit. The presidential spokesmen refused to comment on it on Sunday.

Three days after the arrest, Sarkozy told party members to maintain ?"calm, unity and dignity" in an internal meeting without direct comments on the affair.

Sources close to the ruling party revealed that the UMP has adjusted its campaign strategy by removing Strauss-Kahn from the top rival list. After all, Sarkozy still faces the all-time low support rate, which gave much leeway to the leader of the National Front Marine Le Pen to gain an upper hand.

For the Socialist Party, the blow is heavy. The Socialist Party' s first secretary Martine Aubry, who reportedly had a "secret agreement" ?with Strauss-Kahn to avoid mutual conflict, described his arrest as a "thunderbolt." Its inner-party election is due at the end of June.

Jacque Attali, French economist and former advisor to President Francois Mitterrand, saw no hope for Strauss-Kahn to stay as the premier Socialist nor the IMF head.

"I do not think he will be the presidential candidate. We will choose a candidate between Martine Aubry and Francois Hollande (another popular Socialist politician)," Attali told local radio Europe 1.

Though the Socialist's spokesman said it's not the party that did the dirty deeds, losing the most prominent candidate is likely to deepen the inner-party rifts on who can lead the party to fight for 2012 presidency.

At a party leadership meeting on Tuesday, Aubry underlined solidarity within the party. "Unity, responsibility and combativeness -- these are words that came up the most this morning," she told reporters after the meeting.

Without Strauss-Kahn, according to a poll published on Wednesday by CSA, Sarkozy would enter the second round with 22-23 percent of the vote.

lONG SHADOW OVER IMF MISSION

Abruptly, the powerful man fell from the leadership of one of the most influential financial organization to a New York cell. The shadow of his smeared image is long.

In 2007, Strauss-Kahn became the IMF Managing Director with the support of France and the European Union. His leadership in the IMF won applause through the 2008 global financial crisis and made the U.S.-based organization function like the global finance ministry.

After Greece's sovereign debt crisis unfolded, the IMF chief's endorsement of 30 billion euros loan helped save the shaky euro. At that time, some French media even branded him as the second powerful person in the world following U.S. President Barack Obama.

Now, Stauss-Kahn risks an imprisonment of 15 to 25 years if a verdict of guilty is returned.

French right-wing daily Le Figaro referred to the affair as a disaster to the IMF, the Group of 20 and his own relatives.

The IMF's involvement in Europe's debt crisis would continue despite his absence, but such a scandal is detrimental for Europe to maintain a say in international organizations like the IMF, French television channel BFM commented.

Without the due presence of Strauss-Kahn, European financial ministers approved Monday in Brussels a bailout package for Portugal but failed to agree on new aids for Greece.

Given that the U.S. judge refused a bail for Strauss-Kahn and a judicial procedure should take time, possible successor to IMF chief is under discussion while the scandal-hit chief has yet to resign from his position.

Moral standard should be cited as a more important gauge in choosing a leader for international organizations, some countries urged.

Some emerging countries deemed Strauss-Kahn's downfall a chance to choose a new leader for the IMF from other than western nations. Both Turkey's incumbent and former economy ministers announced intentions for the position, while candidates from India, Mexico and South Africa also appeared in the spotlight.

It should be a European to head the IMF, German Chancellor Angela Merkel suggested on Monday, citing a special need for the euro zone crisis. However, she added it was not yet the time to discuss a successor.

France would speak at a proper moment, but not now, about the successor of the IMF head, a French Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Tuesday.

The moment will probably come on Friday when Strauss-Kahn attends his next hearing. And while his lawyers are formulating a defense strategy, all parties concerned are waiting.