A majority of French voters do not want former IMF Managing Director Dominque Strauss-Kahn to run for public office, even after U.S. prosecutors dropped the sexual assault charges against him, a new poll shows.
The survey, by French pollster CSA, found that 53 percent of those questioned would prefer the former French Socialist finance minister stay out of the political arena in the next few months as France prepares for its presidential elections in April 2012.
Strauss-Kahn had been a favorite to win the presidency until he was arrested in May for allegations of sexual assault against a New York hotel maid.
A judge dismissed all criminal charges against Strauss-Kahn on Tuesday after prosecutors said they doubted his accuser’s credibility.
The French will get their wish for at least a month — Strauss-Kahn must remain in the United States for 30 days to allow for an appeal against the decision to drop the charges.
Meanwhile, a civil case that Nafissatou Diallo filed against Strauss-Kahn remains pending. Further, investigators in France are still considering whether to charge Strauss-Kahn for attempted rape over a separate incident involving allegations by writer Tristane Banon.
