A crushing defeat at the hands of his old rival Nicolas Sarkozy is a bad omen for President Francois Hollande two years ahead of a presidential election, analysts said Monday, with the far-right also growing in power.
The Socialists lost nearly half the councils they controlled in local elections on Sunday as Sarkozy benefited from the government's unpopularity to reinvigorate his centre-right opposition.
"It's clearly yet another protest vote ... and the situation is becoming very difficult two years out from the presidential election," said Frederic Dabi, from polling institute Ifop.
"The slap," declared Le Parisien daily, under a picture of a glum-looking Prime Minister Manuel Valls.
Sarkozy hasn't officially announced he will stand for the presidency in 2017 but few doubt he harbours a burning desire to reclaim the keys to the Elysee that he lost to Hollande after a bitter campaign in 2012.
"He's ready to take back the Elysee in two years' time," said an editorial in the Sud Ouest regional daily.
The former president still faces daunting obstacles on his way back to the top job, including multiple legal wrangles related to campaign spending, and a slew of rivals within his own party.
"After three years of wars between the leaders of the party... (Sarkozy) has yet to eclipse his competitors," Le Monde newspaper wrote in an editorial, adding that a party conference in May could prove decisive.
For now, the weekend victory has helped dispel criticism that he has lacked his usual energy since returning to politics last year.
"Never... has our political family won so many councils," Sarkozy told supporters cheering "Nicolas, Nicolas", adding that voters had "massively rejected the policies of Francois Hollande and his government.
The far-right Front National (FN) won zero councils, in part due to tactical voting but leader Marine Le Pen still hailed a "magnificent success" as the party won several council seats for the first time, establishing roots around the country.
"It's the base for tomorrow's great victories," said Le Pen, referring to more regional elections in December and the presidential vote in 2017.
Political analyst Jean-Yves Camus noted that Sunday's departmental elections were "a less favourable (type of election) for the FN... because you need a local base and because of the way the vote is organised."
- 'A tough blow' -
The right-leaning Le Figaro said the government had "suffered a fourth and humiliating electoral defeat" after losses in other local and European polls.
The election defeat was all the more embarrassing as the left lost power in the political heartlands of both Hollande and Valls.
Valls said he would cancel a visit to Germany planned for Tuesday, where he was due to meet government ministers and European Central Bank officials, to concentrate on the fall-out from the elections.
He acknowledged the vote was a setback but vowed to continue with his programme of reforms to pep up France's struggling economy.
There will be "new measures to boost private and public investment", said Valls in the immediate aftermath of the defeat.
But already there was sniping from a rebel left-wing faction within the Socialists, which has already defied the government on several issues in recent months.
One rebel, Jerome Guedj, urged a change of course, saying: "Otherwise, tonight will just be a dress rehearsal for what is going to happen to us in 2017," when the next presidential election is held.
"We can't keep driving into the wall, speeding up and beeping our horns," said Aurelie Filippetti, a former minister who lost her job in a cabinet clean-out of rebels.
With the Socialists licking their wounds, attention now turns to a likely reshuffle but party leaders have stressed that is not the immediate priority and Valls insisted there would be no change of course.
"Our government will redouble its energy with the priority being jobs, jobs and jobs," said Valls.
And one presidential advisor seemed to downplay the likelihood of a knee-jerk reaction.
"We can't have a reshuffle every time we lose," said one Hollande advisor.
A crushing defeat at the hands of his old rival Nicolas Sarkozy is a bad omen for President Francois Hollande two years ahead of a presidential election, analysts said Monday, with the far-right also growing in power.
The Socialists lost nearly half the councils they controlled in local elections on Sunday as Sarkozy benefited from the government’s unpopularity to reinvigorate his centre-right opposition.
“It’s clearly yet another protest vote … and the situation is becoming very difficult two years out from the presidential election,” said Frederic Dabi, from polling institute Ifop.
“The slap,” declared Le Parisien daily, under a picture of a glum-looking Prime Minister Manuel Valls.
Sarkozy hasn’t officially announced he will stand for the presidency in 2017 but few doubt he harbours a burning desire to reclaim the keys to the Elysee that he lost to Hollande after a bitter campaign in 2012.
“He’s ready to take back the Elysee in two years’ time,” said an editorial in the Sud Ouest regional daily.
The former president still faces daunting obstacles on his way back to the top job, including multiple legal wrangles related to campaign spending, and a slew of rivals within his own party.
“After three years of wars between the leaders of the party… (Sarkozy) has yet to eclipse his competitors,” Le Monde newspaper wrote in an editorial, adding that a party conference in May could prove decisive.
For now, the weekend victory has helped dispel criticism that he has lacked his usual energy since returning to politics last year.
“Never… has our political family won so many councils,” Sarkozy told supporters cheering “Nicolas, Nicolas”, adding that voters had “massively rejected the policies of Francois Hollande and his government.
The far-right Front National (FN) won zero councils, in part due to tactical voting but leader Marine Le Pen still hailed a “magnificent success” as the party won several council seats for the first time, establishing roots around the country.
“It’s the base for tomorrow’s great victories,” said Le Pen, referring to more regional elections in December and the presidential vote in 2017.
Political analyst Jean-Yves Camus noted that Sunday’s departmental elections were “a less favourable (type of election) for the FN… because you need a local base and because of the way the vote is organised.”
– ‘A tough blow’ –
The right-leaning Le Figaro said the government had “suffered a fourth and humiliating electoral defeat” after losses in other local and European polls.
The election defeat was all the more embarrassing as the left lost power in the political heartlands of both Hollande and Valls.
Valls said he would cancel a visit to Germany planned for Tuesday, where he was due to meet government ministers and European Central Bank officials, to concentrate on the fall-out from the elections.
He acknowledged the vote was a setback but vowed to continue with his programme of reforms to pep up France’s struggling economy.
There will be “new measures to boost private and public investment”, said Valls in the immediate aftermath of the defeat.
But already there was sniping from a rebel left-wing faction within the Socialists, which has already defied the government on several issues in recent months.
One rebel, Jerome Guedj, urged a change of course, saying: “Otherwise, tonight will just be a dress rehearsal for what is going to happen to us in 2017,” when the next presidential election is held.
“We can’t keep driving into the wall, speeding up and beeping our horns,” said Aurelie Filippetti, a former minister who lost her job in a cabinet clean-out of rebels.
With the Socialists licking their wounds, attention now turns to a likely reshuffle but party leaders have stressed that is not the immediate priority and Valls insisted there would be no change of course.
“Our government will redouble its energy with the priority being jobs, jobs and jobs,” said Valls.
And one presidential advisor seemed to downplay the likelihood of a knee-jerk reaction.
“We can’t have a reshuffle every time we lose,” said one Hollande advisor.
