Jospin withdraws from French presidential race

PARIS, Sep 28 (Reuters) Former Socialist French prime minister Lionel Jospin withdrew from the race for the 2007 presidential election today, providing good news to the party's front-runner Segolene Royal.

Jospin, 69, stirred up his party when he made a tearful comeback this summer after four years of political retirement, indicating he could compete for the party's presidential candidature against Royal.

''I can confirm, it's 'No','' Jospin told RTL radio when asked whether he would be a candidate in the 2007 poll.

''I have taken the decision that, not able to rally people together, I don't want to divide,'' the former economics professor said. ''The campaign will be hard. I want us to win.'' Jospin had retired from political life following a humiliating defeat in the 2002 presidential election, when far-right leader Jean-Marie Le Pen forced him out of the run-off against conservative Jacques Chirac.

Socialist critics had said Jospin had never analysed his 2002 defeat and would be a liability rather than an asset.

Royal is heading voter opinion polls to lead the Socialist party into next year's race, but it is up to the party's some 200,000 members to elect their candidate in November.

Jospin's withdrawal should come as good news to regional leader Royal, reducing the number of her likely male competitors to three or four.

The rivals must declare their candidature between this Saturday and Tuesday. Royal has signalled she will run, although she has not yet officially said she will be a candidate.

''NO REGRETS'' Former prime minister Laurent Fabius is set to also declare his candidature, hoping to convince members with a left-wing policy platform.

Some 54 per cent of Socialist voters want Royal to become their party's candidate, according to a recent Ipsos poll.

Around 21 percent supported Jospin, 11 per cent preferred former finance minister Dominique Strauss-Kahn, 7 per cent former culture minister Jack Lang, some 4 percent opted for party leader Francois Hollande and 3 percent for Fabius.

But pollsters note that Socialist members are not necessarily set to have the same preferences as voters, with long-held party affiliations playing an important role.

Royal, regional leader of the western Poitou-Charentes region, is treated like a relative newcomer compared to her competitors, and has sparked some party anger with tough proposals on how to cut youth crime.

Royal's battle for party support could become even more complicated if her long term partner, party leader Hollande, decided to run in the internal battle as well.

Jospin, who was prime minister from 1997 till 2002, said he had long hesitated about his decision but was not sad.

''I don't regret it. I have taken the wisest decision,'' he said, adding he would remain in French political life.

REUTERS SAM PM1430