Schwartzenberg later introduced a bill on 28 February 2006[3] in the National Assembly (lower chamber) which would have outlined rules for open partisan primaries in French presidential elections.

At the beginning of May 2011, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, at that time managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), was the opinion polls' clear favorite to become the Socialist Party candidate for the 2012 French presidential election, as well as for winning the presidency itself.

[4][5] There was controversy over the so-called Porschegate affair when he was pictured stepping into a €100,000 Porsche car, giving rise to criticism of his affluent lifestyle and to accusations of "champagne socialism".

[8] This followed a letter sent by the New York District Attorney to Strauss-Kahn's defence lawyers disclosing information about the room attendant which appeared to call into question her credibility.

[10][11] The Paris politician and advocate of gender equality Michèle Sabban asked that the primary be suspended to discuss the possibility of Strauss-Kahn's participation.

In order to participate to the open primary, voters had to meet the following conditions: The following candidates participated in the open primary:[19] In 2010 the principal contenders, Martine Aubry, Laurent Fabius and Dominique Strauss-Kahn, agreed between themselves the so-called "Marrakech pact" (pacte de Marrakech) whereby each undertook eventually to give way to the candidate best placed in the opinion polls, which at that time was Strauss-Kahn.

Ministers : Claude Bartolone, Robert Chapuis, Jacques Delors, Tony Dreyfus, Henri Emmanuelli, Jean Glavany, Élisabeth Guigou,[28] Charles Josselin, Jack Lang, Marylise Lebranchu, Marie-Noëlle Lienemann,[29] Martin Malvy, Alain Richard, René Souchon, Catherine Tasca; MP's, mayors and presidents of regional or general councils: Jean-Claude Antonini, Alain Anziani,[30] Arlette Arnaud-Landau,[31] David Assouline,[30] Jacques Auxiette,[32] Gérard Bapt, Christian Bataille, Marie-Noëlle Battistel, Laurent Beauvais, Gisèle Biémouret, Patrick Bloche, Jean-Michel Boucheron, Christophe Bouillon, Jean-Claude Boulard, François Brottes, Jean-Michel Boucheron, Pierre Bourguignon, Pascal Buchet,[31] Jean-Christophe Cambadélis,[33] Alain Cacheux, Jean-Paul Chanteguet, Gilles Cocquempot, Pierre Cohen, Catherine Coutelle, Pascale Crozon, Daniel Delaveau, François Deluga, Gilles Demailly, Harlem Désir, Michel Destot,[34] Michel Dinet, Jean-Pierre Dufau, Marie-Marguerite Dufay, Laurence Dumont, Jean-Louis Dumont, Yves Durand, Philippe Duron, Olivier Dussopt, Christian Eckert, Corinne Erhel, Martine Faure, Hervé Féron, Pierre Forgues, Jean Gaubert, Catherine Génisson, Samia Ghali,[35] Daniel Goldberg, David Habib, Adeline Hazan, Jean-Paul Huchon, Liem Hoang Ngoc,[31] Sandrine Hurel, Jean-Louis Idiart, Françoise Imbert, Michel Issindou, Serge Janquin, Henri Jibrayel, Régis Juanico, Marietta Karamanli, Conchita Lacuey, François Lamy, Philippe Lavaud, Dominique Lefebvre, Patrick Lemasle, Catherine Lemorton, Jean-Claude Leroy, François Loncle, Jean Mallot, Hélène Mandroux, Marie-Lou Marcel, Marie-Claude Marchand, Jean-René Marsac, Philippe Martin, Martine Martinel, Frédérique Massat, Didier Mathus, Alain Maurice, Rachel Mazuir,[30] Kléber Mesquida, Jean Michel, Jean-Pierre Michel,[30] Pierre-Alain Muet, Alain Néri, Christian Paul, Germinal Peiro, Jean-Luc Perat, Marie-Line Reynaud, Marcel Rogemont, Catherine Tasca,[30] Michel Vergnier, André Vézinhet, Alain Vidalies;[36] Others politicians: Dominique Dupilet, Benoît Hamon, Anne Hidalgo,[37] Patrick Jeanne,[31] Gilles Pargneaux,[38] Association des JSK ('Les jeunes avec Strauss-Kahn');[39] Non-political personalities: Jamel Debbouze,[40] Bernard-Henri Lévy, Karl Lagerfeld, Philippe Sollers.

Ministers: Roger-Gérard Schwartzenberg MP's, mayors and presidents of regional or general councils: Chantal Berthelot (PSG), Gérard Charasse, Paul Giacobbi, Annick Girardin, Joël Giraud, Albert Likuvalu (PS Wallis et Futuna), Jeanny Marc (GUSR), Dominique Orliac, Sylvia Pinel, Chantal Robin-Rodrigo,[42] Yvon Collin, Nicolas Alfonsi, François Vendasi, Raymond Vall, Anne-Marie Escoffier, François Fortassin, Françoise Laborde, Jacques Mézard, Jean Milhau, Jean-Pierre Plancade.

Others politicians: Non-political personalities: François Hollande officially declared his candidacy on 31 March 2011 following his re-election as President of the General Council of Corrèze.

[45] Once considered the favorite, Hollande faced a challenge from Martine Aubry's rise in the opinion polls and over criticisms of his record as a former leader of the party and his lack of ministerial experience.

Ministers: Michel Delebarre,[38] Roland Dumas,[47] Jean-Pierre Jouyet, Michel Sapin, Catherine Trautmann; MP's, mayors and presidents of regional or general councils: Kader Arif, Jean-Paul Bachy,[48] Jean-Pierre Bel,[49] Claude Bérit-Débat, Jacques Bigot, Maryvonne Blondin,[50] Jean-Paul Bret, Gérard Collomb, Bernard Combes, François Cuillandre,[51] Bernard Derosier,[52] Guy Ferez,[53] Aurélie Filippetti,[54] Ronan Kerdraon,[55] Jean-Yves Le Drian,[56] Stéphane Le Foll, Bruno Le Roux, Jacques Mahéas,[57] Michel Moyrand, Bernard Poignant, François Rebsamen,[58] Alain Rousset, André Vallini; Others politicians: Joël-Guy Batteux,[59] Malek Boutih,[54] Marie-Arlette Carlotti,[35] Faouzi Lamdaoui, Martine Roure.

Non-political personalities: Arnaud Montebourg, who as party secretary responsible for renewal set up the 2011 open primary,[60] officially declared his candidacy on 20 November 2010.

Ministers: MP's, mayors and presidents of regional or general councils: Geneviève Gaillard, Eric Gautier, Jean Launay, Gilbert Le Bris, Thierry Mandon, Christiane Taubira ; Others politicians: Non-political personalities: Emmanuel Todd.

Ministers: Jean-Louis Bianco,[69] Louis Mermaz,[70] Jean-Jack Queyranne;[71] MP's, mayors and presidents of regional or general councils: Gilbert Annette, Delphine Batho,[71] Dominique Bertinotti,[71] Maxime Bono,[71] Danielle Bousquet, Jean-Michel Clément,[71] Jean-François Dauré,[72] Michèle Delaunay, Guillaume Garot[71] Gaëtan Gorce, Bernard Lesterlin,[71] Serge Letchimy,, Louis Mermaz,[73] Catherine Quéré;[71] Others politicians: Sophie Bouchet-Petersen,[74] Béatrice Patrie,[71] Najat Vallaud-Belkacem;[71] Non-political personalities: Cali,[75] Françoise Degois,[76] Edgar Morin.

[80] Valls supported Dominique Strauss-Kahn until Strauss Kahn's arrest on charges of sexual assault and attempted rape, following which he formally announced his candidacy on 7 June 2011.

Almost 2,900,000 voters participated to the second round: François Hollande won the primary with around 57 percent of the vote, becoming the official candidate of the Socialist Party and its allies for the 2012 presidential election.