The IMF Boss Also Tried to Rape Her

Some allies in the French Socialist Party even say that Strauss-Kahn is the victim of a ‘smear campaign’ orchestrated by President Nicolas Sarkozy. Socialist politician Jean-Marie Le Guen said: ‘There is now a totally structured and orchestrated campaign, which has already been announced by Mr. Sarkozy and his closest allies, to attack the character of Strauss-Kahn.’

Strauss-Kahn’s official biographer, Michel Taubmann, said he was a well-known seducer, but added: ‘I can’t believe he would force himself on an unwilling woman. That doesn’t make sense.

‘If anything he was the one harassed, not the reverse — I’ve seen time and again women MPs, party workers, brazenly passing on notes, hoping he would notice them.’

Strauss-Kahn was due to go head-to-head against Mr Sarkozy in the 2012 presidential elections, with Elysee Palace sources indicating that Mr Sarkozy was ‘quietly delighted’ that his chief rival had ‘blown up before the campaign has even got underway’.