Key point in French Socialist contest
Nominations for who will lead the French Socialist party's campaign for the presidency in 2012 close on Wednesday.
All eyes are on two front-runners, the current and former party leaders Martine Aubry and Francois Hollande, but Dominique Strauss-Kahn cannot be ruled out as a last-minute entrant.
The former IMF chief is accused of sexually assaulting a maid in a New York hotel on 14 May, but doubts have recently emerged about the strength of the case against him.
The party's two-round, US-style primaries are scheduled for 9 and 16 October.
Hugh Schofield reports.
13 Jul 2011