Segolene Royal (photo), the French Socialists? presidential frontrunner, takes on a fractious posse of male rivals at a party congress from yesterday, as infighting turns bitter ahead of a 2007 election.

Royal leads opinion surveys to represent France?s main opposition party at the poll next year, but the success of the relative newcomer has unhinged around half a dozen Socialist ?elephants? ? senior male officials also eyeing the post.

Rival Socialists have accused her of cashing in on her good looks and her potential to become France?s first woman president, accusing her of making ?empty speeches? and airy general statements rather than concrete proposals.

The row escalated this week when Royal supporter Francois Rebsamen, the party?s second highest official, called on former Socialist ministers Jack Lang and Dominique Strauss-Kahn to quit the race because Royal was ?best positioned? to win the election. Lang said Rebsamen had no right to issue a ?fatwa?.

?We are no lapdogs who can be ordered back into their kennels at the blow of a whistle,? snapped Lang in a letter to party leader Francois Hollande, who also happens to be the father of Royal?s four children.

The war of words has set the tone for the party?s summer conference in western La Rochelle, which opens officially today. Royal was set to kick off the marathon of speeches by Socialist contenders later yesterday.

Ahead in the polls

Laurent Fabius, another Royal competitor, also stepped up his campaign this week, saying Royal?s policies were vague and revealing a series of measures he vowed to take if elected, such as an immediate rise in the minimum wage.

?I?m committed to change,? Fabius said. ?If we want real change, we need to make concrete commitments.? Royal shocked party members in past weeks when she proposed tough plans to cut crime and questioned the Socialists? touchstone 35-hour work week. Even party leader Hollande distanced himself from her remarks.

But despite criticism from within the party, a majority of French voters believe Royal is the strongest Socialist candidate on health, security, employment and immigration and best placed to win the election, according to recent surveys.

Those polls are starting to influence the party. ?(She) is considered the only one able to beat the right,? political scientist Dominique Reynie said. ?She?s not the best candidate ? she?s the only candidate. Some (party members) are resigned to choosing the candidate supported by opinion polls,? he said.

Party members are to select their candidate in an internal vote in mid-November. The main competitors are set to use the three-day congress in La Rochelle to rally support.