The charges against Dominique Strauss-Kahn have blown the French presidential race wide open, and thrown the IMF into chaos. Strauss-Kahn was widely expected to announce his presidential candidacy for next year's elections in the coming weeks. And most opinion polls tipped him as the person best-placed to defeat current President Nicolas Sarkozy, whose ratings are at an all-time low. Let's see how the French are reacting to the scandal.

Martine Aubry, Socialist Party Head said "The news that reached us overnight from New York is obviously like a thunderbolt. I am, like everybody else, stunned. I call on everyone to wait for the facts to emerge and to respect the presumption of innocence. And to all, I ask they retain the necessary decency. I call on the Socialists to remain united and responsible."

Philippe Martinat, Strauss-Kahn Biographer said "This business is not going to be resolved in a few days, I imagine that whatever happens it will have fundamentally damaged his image and will bring up other affairs like the Peroska Nagy business, the IMF economist. So I think he's definitely veered off the road as far as the Socialist primary and the presidency are concerned."

French citizen said "I think he's someone who's intelligent. To jump on a maid who has come to clean his room. He comes out naked, closes the door, pushes her on the bed and then runs off, and then is found at the airport. I don't say it's a set-up but it's really, really strange."