Sarkozy Trails IMF's Strauss-Kahn, Socialists Aubry, Hollande in Survey

French President Nicolas Sarkozy would lose an election against three potential opponents from the Socialist Party, with International Monetary Fund managing director Dominique Strauss-Kahn holding the largest margin, a poll said.

If the vote set for 2012 were held today, Strauss-Kahn would beat Sarkozy by 59 percent to 41 percent in the second round, while Socialist Party leader Martine Aubry would win by 52-48 and former party leader Francois Hollande would win 53-47, according to the survey by Ifop. Sarkozy would tie 50-50 with Segolene Royal, whom he beat in 2007.

Centrist candidate Francois Bayrou would win at most 9.5 percent, former Prime Minister Dominique De Villepin 8.5 percent and anti-immigrant National Front leader Marine Le Pen 13 percent. Sarkozy is credited with between 24 and 27 percent in the first round, depending on the Socialist candidate.

The Socialist Party plans a primary late next year to chose its candidate.

The Ifop poll for magazine Paris Match involved 811 registered voters interviewed on the 18th and 19th of November. No margin of error was given.

To contact the reporter on this story: Gregory Viscusi in Paris at gviscusi@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: James Hertling at jhertling@bloomberg.net