Royal defeated Dominique Strauss-Kahn for Socialist party candidate in 2006, but lost to Nicolas Sarkozy the next year. Sometimes accused of being politically lightweight and known to admire Tony Blair’s ’Third Way’ policies. This does not endear her to the party’s left. One of eight children, her father, a military officer and devout Roman Catholic, was fond of saying: “I have five children and three girls.” To his surprise she graduated from the elite Ecole Nationale d’Administration (ENA) and was taken under the political wing of former president François Mitterrand. Has four children with her former civil partner François Holland. The couple split in 2007 a month after the presidential election Photograph: Samuel Dietz/Getty Images Europe
Former head of the Socialist party he is also a graduate of ENA, and once very close to former Socialist prime minister Lionel Jospin, who will always be remembered as the man who lost to Jean-Marie Le Pen of the far right in the first round of the 2002 presidential election. Hollande was previously seen as a safe but staid pair of hands but not presidential material; a rather dumpy, charisma-lacking character in lumpy suits and old-fashioned glasses. In the past year he has lost weight, smartened up his act and changed his glasses. As a result, he was gaining on DSK at the time of the scandal and is now, possibly, the party’s best hope Photograph: Bertrand Langlois/AFP
Socialist MP, and former lawyer, who supported Ségolène Royal in 2007. Fell out with her after criticising Hollande Photograph: Jeff Pachoud/AFP
Succeeded Hollande as head of the Socialists in 2008. Daughter of former president of the European Commission, Jacques Delors, politics is in her genes. Served as labour minister and social affairs minister in the 1990s. Best known for having forced through the controversial 35-hour maximum working week. Another ENA graduate. Said to be ambitious but was prepared to stand aside in the presidential primary if DSK stood. Now expected to throw her hat into the ring. Described as hard and demanding - France’s answer to Angela Merkel Photograph: Lionel Bonaventure/AFP
Spanish-born Socialist MP, who obtained French nationality in 1982. Not a fan of Aubry or the 35-hour week Photograph: Joel Saget/AFP
