Benoit Hamon, who clinched the presidential nomination for the French Socialist party on Sunday, believes his bold economic and environmental ideas can revitalise the left -- without scaring off voters. "Tonight the French left is holding its head high, is turning to the future and wants to win," Hamon said. He went on to work for Martine Aubry, the champion of France's 35-hour working week, becoming Aubry's spokesman when she became Socialist Party leader in 2008. Socialist Party boss Jean-Christophe Cambadelis had hinted in mod-November at Hamon's ability to spring a surprise when he tipped "little Ben" as a possible winner. The duel between Hamon and Valls was cast as a fight for the future of the deeply split Socialist party, with Hamon embodying its traditionalist left flank against Valls' reformist centre-left faction.

Source: The Local January 29, 2017 20:16 UTC