Election boost for Jospin

Mr Jospin has gained an advantage over his old rival

French Prime Minister Lionel Jospin's presidential hopes have been boosted by a decision to reverse current timetables for 2002 elections.

National Assembly deputies voted by a margin of 300 to 245 to extend their mandate for two months, to end in June instead of April 2002.

This means that presidential elections, scheduled for May 2002, will be held before parliamentary elections.

Mr Jospin will therefore not run the risk of his probable presidential challenge being spoilt, if the parliamentary poll goes badly for his Socialist Party.

The bill will now go to the upper house, the Senate, and seems likely to become law after further readings.

'Personal motives'

Mr Jospin argued forcefully in favour of changing the timetable in a parliamentary debate on Tuesday, saying it would allow all candidates for the presidency to compete on equal terms.

Alain Juppe: Accused Jospin of opportunism

But most observers see the personal motive as the strongest factor in Mr Jospin's insistence.

As the Socialist Party's likely candidate for the presidency, he is thought to stand a fair chance of beating his probable opponent, current incumbent Jacques Chirac.

Bitter debate

The BBC's Paris correspondent says that Wednesday's victory for Mr Jospin was greeted with loud cheers by the socialists.

They realise the tactical importance of the change, which has been opposed by President Chirac.

But the debate was said to be bitter, with Mr Jospin's opponents accusing him of political opportunism.

Former Prime Minister and Chirac loyalist Alain Juppe described the move as a "manoeuvre intended to help the Socialist candidate to carry the presidential election".

And the issue has revealed further splits in France's coalition government - both the socialist party's partners, the Greens and the Communists voted against the change of timetable.

Mr Jospin won the vote after securing the support of deputies from the centre-right UDF Party.

The scenario of a presidential election preceded by parliamentary elections has no recent historical precedent in France.

The normal cycle was upset by President Chirac's decision to call an early Assembly vote in 1997.