Who Loves the PS? The Electoral Paradox of the French Socialist Party LAURENT BOUVET SOCIALIST PARTY(PARTI SOCIALISTE, PS) Official website: www.parti-socialiste.fr Party leader: Martine Aubry Founded: In 1905 as the French Section of the Workers’ Inter­national; in 1969 replaced by the Parti Socialiste. SI and PES membership: SI: since 1951; PES since 1992 Party membership: 2009: 203,000(The figure has been relatively stable, varying between 150,000 and 200,000 members for the past 10 years.) Electoral resonance parliamentary elections: 2007: general election: 42.25% of the votes; 186 seats out of 577, in opposition; presidential elections: 46.94% of the votes; defeat of Ségolène Royal in the second round 2002: general elections: 35.26% of the votes; 140 seats out of 577; in opposition; presidential election: 16.18% of the votes; defeat of Lionel Jospin in the first round 1997: general election: 44.2% of the votes; 255 seats out of 577; in government Electoral resonance European elections: 2009: 16.48%; 14 out of 72 French seats; PS list 2004: 28.9%; 31 out of 78 French seats; PS list 1999: 21.95%; 22 out of 87 French seats; PS/PRG/ MDC list Government participation: Since 2002: in opposition 1997–2002: in government led by the Socialist Party; head of government: Lionel Jospin as prime minister, with a coalition of left-wing parties (»Plural Left«) ipg 4/2010 Bouvet, France 115