IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn's arrest on sex assault charges sent shockwaves through French politics Monday, shaking up next year's presidential race and inspiring wild claims of dirty tricks.
French political and media circles have long swirled with rumours of Strauss-Kahn's conduct towards women, but they were rarely discussed in public until his arrest in New York for allegedly trying to rape a hotel maid.
As Paris faced its biggest ever political sex crime scandal, photographs of the opposition's top presidential candidate being led in handcuffs by New York police shocked politicians and raised fears for France's image.
"As well as the alleged victim, the chambermaid, there is another sure victim: France," said Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet, environment minister in President Nicolas Sarkozy's centre-right government, on Monday.
"We are thinking also of France's image," said Jean-Francois Cope, the leader of the ruling right-wing UMP party, on Europe 1 radio. "To think of that picture running on a loop the world over is clearly quite something."
Socialist leader Martine Aubry on Sunday called the news a "thunderbolt", but gave no clue of how the party may regroup if Strauss-Kahn is taken out of the running for next year's election.
More accusations
The IMF chief's woes deepened further on Monday after it emerged that a French writer, Tristane Banon, is to make a complaint alleging that Strauss-Kahn sexually assaulted her in 2002, according to her lawyer.
Aubry's deputy Harlem Desir acknowledged that Strauss-Kahn was out but insisted "the Socialist Party is not decapitated, nor weakened."
Among the other potential Socialist challengers to run against Sarkozy are Aubry herself and former party leader Francois Hollande.
"There will be another candidate who will represent the party in the presidential election," Desir told a news conference. "I call on Socialists to stay the course for 2012."
Within minutes of the news, Internet conspiracy theories emerged that the arrest was the result of a set-up to discredit Strauss-Kahn, who polls had shown could beat Sarkozy in a presidential election.
"I have faith in American justice," said Kosciusko-Morizet. "It is so French to see conspiracies everywhere. I think it is in our culture."
There was no word from Sarkozy's office, but - with his approval ratings flat-lining at under a third of the electorate - it seemed his prospects could only benefit from a Socialist scandal.
Press say it's over for Strauss Kahn
French newspapers meanwhile were unanimous in declaring Strauss-Kahn's political career dead.
"As we wait for truth to be sorted from falsehood, one thing is already certain: Dominique Strauss-Kahn will not be the next president of the French Republic," said the pro-government daily Le Figaro.
"The Socialists have lost the only candidate who was, in all possible configurations, leading in the polls. And who was capable of beating Nicolas Sarkozy," the left-leaning Liberation wrote in its editorial.
"France is experiencing its first Anglo Saxon-style sex scandal and is suddenly entering an area of public debate that until now... was confined to rumours and gossip within a small circle of initiates."
Strauss-Kahn's lawyers have said he will deny all the charges.
"He denies it. He is going to fight, I am sure of that," said Socialist lawmaker Manuel Valls, a friend of Strauss-Kahn and candidate for the party's nomination, saying the arrest was a major turning point.
"For French political life, there will be a before and an after," Valls said on RTL radio. "We have not yet fully felt the shockwave in our country."
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