France's Royal makes presidential pitch

FRANGY-EN-BRESSE, France, Aug 20 (Reuters) French presidential hopeful Segolene Royal today broke the summer political lull by attacking government policy and appealing across the political spectrum to all who want change.

Speaking days before a conference of her opposition Socialist Party, Royal pitched herself as a caring reformer who would fight discrimination and try to create a more inclusive society.

The Socialists have to pick their candidate for France's presidential election in 2007 in three months' time and Royal is ahead of other possible Socialist candidates in opinion polls.

''France is not working, that is clear,'' she told an annual Socialist gathering in central France.

Claiming it was a duty, even a moral obligation, for the Socialists to win the elections, she said: ''In 2007, we want to see a France which is once again on its feet.'' While Royal avoided outlining any policy detail in her speech, she must show the Socialist conference starting on Friday that she can weld the left into a winning force.

This will be vital, analysts say, if the Socialists are to avoid a rerun of 2002 when the left vote splintered in the first round of the presidential election, leading to a second round runoff between President Jacques Chirac and Jean-Marie Le Pen of the far-right Front National.

''She will have to show her ability to unite the left, those who voted 'Yes' to the referendum on the European Constitution as well as those who voted 'No','' Christian Paul, a Socialist deputy, was quoted by Saturday's Liberation paper as saying.

''She will also have to show political vision.'' SARKOZY FACTOR Royal presented herself as firmly in the tradition of former President Francois Mitterrand in a bid to appeal to the left, but knows she must also position herself against Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy, frontrunner to be the ruling centre-right UMP's presidential candidate.

An Ifop poll for Ouest France Dimanche showed that, given a choice between the two, 55 percent prefered Royal while 42 percent chose Sarkozy.

Royal attacked the recent expulsion by police of hundreds of people, including illegal immigrants, from France's biggest squat.

She again condemned the decision and said the evictions were just staged for the media.

Sarkozy quickly fought back.

''If Mrs Royal wants France to accept all illegal immigrants, to find them housing, work and to send a message around the world that everyone can come to France, no matter how and no matter in what condition, then she should say so,'' he told reporters on a visit to Arcachon on the western coast of France.

Despite their sparring, Royal and Sarkozy have at least one point in common, according to historian Denis Lefebvre.

''She and Nicolas Sarkozy both use the media marvellously,'' he told Journal du Dimanche newspaper. ''Both of them manage to make people believe they are bringing something new to politics.'' REUTERS SK PM0034