France at odds over return of Dominique Strauss-Kahn

French people are divided over whether Dominique Strauss-Kahn should re-enter French politics after the weakening of the sexual assault case against the former International Monetary Fund chief.

In a poll this weekend, 49 per cent of those surveyed for French newspaper Le Parisien responded "Yes" to the question: "Without prejudging his innocence or guilt, do you want DSK to come back to the French political scene one day?"

Forty-five per cent said "No" and 6 per cent didn't answer the question, according to the poll.

Left-leaning voters were more favourable to a return to politics by Strauss-Kahn, the man who was once the Socialist party's main contender to face off against president Nicolas Sarkozy in next April's presidential election.

Sixty per cent of left-leaning voters said the would want DSK back in French politics someday, according to the poll, and 38 per cent said "No".

On the more pressing question of whether the Socialists should suspend the presidential primary calendar because of the new developments, respondents were also evenly split. Forty-nine per cent of all French and 47 per cent of left-leaning voters said "No".

Strauss-Kahn's next court date is 18 July, while the Socialist party has set a 13 July deadline for candidates to declare whether they will run in the primary, now scheduled for 9 October and 16 October.

In an interview in Journal du Dimanche yesterday, Socialist party MP Pierre Moscovici said it was "premature" to speculate on what role Strauss-Kahn could yet play in French politics.

"When he regains his freedom and is cleared, all options are open to him," Mr Moscovici added.