Royal is seen as the most likely to face off against Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy, a front-runner to stand for the governing conservative UMP party.

The meeting Aug. 26 and 27 provides a platform for party leaders to state their positions to members, who will nominate the Socialist candidate for the presidential race in November.

Royal said her program would be based on reducing unemployment, which she said was at the root of inequality in France.

She also criticized Sarkozy for his crackdown on illegal immigration, which is expected to be a top issue in next year's elections, and set out her vision of Europe, based on protecting the environment, as well as France's role abroad in helping developing countries emerge from poverty.

The Japan Times Weekly: Aug. 26, 2006
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