Two thirds of French against a DSK election run: poll

PARIS (Reuters) - Two thirds of French people do not want former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn to be a candidate in next April's presidential election, a poll showed on Thursday, and an even larger share does not believe he will run.

Strauss-Kahn, a Socialist Party heavyweight, was a strong favorite to unseat conservative President Nicolas Sarkozy in the election until his arrest in New York in May on sex assault charges threw his political future into question.

The case appeared to weaken last week, however, when New York prosecutors questioned the credibility of the hotel maid who alleged he tried to rape her. A court released Strauss-Kahn from house arrest and signs the case is unraveling raised the prospect that he could return to France in the months ahead.

Thursday's survey, carried out by OpinionWay and published by Le Figaro Magazine, found that 65 percent of respondents were against a presidential run by Strauss-Kahn and 74 percent said they did not believe he would put his name forward.

Strauss-Kahn supporters had jumped on his apparent twist in fortune to call for his return to politics and a presidential run, despite a Socialist Party primary schedule that would have obliged him to submit a candidacy by July 13.

But left-wingers have since played down the likelihood of his running, with Socialist Party spokesman Benoit Hamon saying that was "the weakest" of all possible scenarios for his future.

In Strauss-Kahn's absence, Francois Hollande, a former party leader, has emerged as a frontrunner in the race, ahead of rival Martine Aubry. Polls show both could beat conservative President Nicolas Sarkozy, who is unpopular among a majority of voters.

The prospect of a speedy return to politics for Strauss-Kahn grew dimmer this week when French writer Tristane Banon filed a complaint against him for allegedly trying to rape her in 2003, when she was in her early twenties.

While five contenders are jostling for the Socialist nomination, Strauss-Kahn is confined to the United States ahead of his next court hearing on July 18. His lawyers said on Wednesday that he would not plead guilty to avoid a trial.

The July 4-5 survey covered 1,002 people aged 18 and up.

(Reporting by Nick Vinocur; editing by Philippa Fletcher)