Voir François Hollande tout seul en haut de l'estrade devant plusieurs milliers de militants qui l'applaudissaient m'a fait penser à un autre moment dans sa vie politique, à Limoges, en mars, 2007, quand sa compagne Ségolène Royal était la candidate des socialistes. Lui, c'était le culbuto, "Flamby", ou "fraise des bois", elle, c'était la reine... l'objet de tous les désirs socialistes. En politique, les ami(e)s, comme le destin sont changeants.
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Seeing Francois Hollande, newly elected to be the Socialist Party candidate for 2012, standing all alone at the tribune, applauded by several thousand party members, reminded me of another time in his political career, when he awkwardly shared the stage with his wife*, Segolene Royal. It was in Limoges in 2007, Segolene was the presidential candidate, the queen, object of Socialist desire. François was First Secretary of the party, held in ridicule by his political peers, nicknamed "culbuto" (wobbly toy) "Flamby" (marshmellow soft inside, that is, no guts and not enough of a lefty), or "fraise des bois" (like wild strawberries, red on the outside, white inside). In politics, friends, like destiny, are fickle.
*Hollande and Royal were not married although they had four children together. The couple has since broken up.