Paris - Segolene Royal, the defeated Socialist Party candidate in last year's French presidential election, said Wednesday that she wanted to replace her former partner as party chief.

Asked if she would be a candidate for party leader, she told TF 1 television, "I will tell you frankly: it's true that I want to (head the party)."

The Socialist Party will elect a successor to the current party secretary Francois Hollande on November 20, following the party congress, which is due to begin Friday in the city of Reims.

In a recent vote among Socialist Party members, Royal's platform finished ahead of those associated with former labour minister Martine Aubry, Paris Mayor Bertrand Delanoe and a fourth candidate, Benoit Hamon.

"The members have voted," Royal said. "They gave my platform a legitimacy, gave me the vocation to perhaps lead the party tomorrow."

Royal's heavy defeat at the hands of President Nicolas Sarkozy in May 2007 threw the Socialists into disarray, with many of the party's old guard, such as former prime minister Lionel Jospin, harshly criticizing the campaign she ran and her attempt to forge an alliance with centrist Francois Bayrou.

Royal said Wednesday that as party head she would renew the call to the centrists for the 2012 presidential election.

Shortly after her electoral defeat, Royal announced that she and Hollande, the father of her four children, were separating.

It is widely believed that Hollande, like Jospin and other so- called party elephants, were supporting Delanoe to head the party and to become its presidential candidate in 
2012.

In addition, Aubry, currently mayor of Lille, may openly challenge Royal for the post.

Royal said Wednesday that she had presented her programme to Delanoe and Aubry and wanted to work with them.

The race for party leadership is widely seen as a precursor to the battle to represent the party at the 2012 presidential election. (dpa)