The left-wing laggards in France’s presidential campaign are talking about uniting, a move that may elbow out centrists from the second round and improve the anti-euro Marine Le Pen’s chances of victory.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy insisted yesterday that he will not be the candidate of a small elite against the people, in the first major rally of his re-election bid.

Britain had Margaret Thatcher, Germany has Angela Merkel. Could France get Segolene Royal?