Ségolène Royal's rivals call her inexperienced, vacuous and a product of media hype. Yet the favourite to become the presidential candidate of France's opposition Socialist party has kept climbing up the popularity ratings, even as the attacks against her have intensified.

The five veteran politicians jostling with Ms Royal to be the Socialist candidate in next April's presidential election are expected to go all out to undermine her at the party's "summer university" of youth members, starting today in La Rochelle.