Beaten Ségolène faces legal threat

BEATEN Socialist candidate Ségolène Royal could face a €75,000 fine and a ban on standing again as an MP after she broke election rules by admitting defeat in the La Rochelle vote.

Royal, who was well beaten by dissident Socialist Olivier Falorni, revealed the poll result on live TV at 19.50 - before the legal 20.00 deadline. She could face sanctions from the Conseil Supérieur de l’Audiovisuel (CSA).

The CSA will reveal later what, if any, action it will take but council member Christine Kelly said on Europe 1 she was "very shocked" by Royal's announcement and by the TV and radio stations that broke the embargo by broadcasting it.

However, she said she would ask colleagues for "clemency" as the speech was just minutes before the deadline - and the polling stations in her constituency closed at 18.00.