More Than Half of the French Believe Former IMF Chief Strauss-Kahn Is Being Set Up

Despite facing accusations of attempted rape, false imprisonment and assault, former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn has his supporters.  Who, you ask?  A startling 57 percent of French citizens believe that Strauss-Kahn is the victim of a set up.  According to Mail Online:

Many in his home country are standing by the 62-year-old and have questioned the testimony of the chamber maid, offering all kinds of conspiracy theories.

Former culture minister Jack Lang even described the treatment of Strauss-Kahn as a ‘lynching’ that had ‘provoked horror and aroused disgust’.

Part of this skepticism stems from the fact that Strauss-Kahn has widely been considered a likely candidate for the French presidency.  Some see the allegations that he attacked and attempted to rape a maid at his NYC hotel as the perfectly-crafted plot to derail his presidential aspirations.  ITN News has more:

Last night, Strauss-Kahn stepped down from his head post and he is now working with his lawyers to win bail.  He claims he will devote his full energies to clearing his name.  On the heels of these developments, his problems seem to be worsening:

French author Tristane Banon, 31, has accused Strauss-Kahn of trying to rape her a decade ago and is considering reporting him to the police in Paris.

Plus, regardless of what happens in criminal court, a civil suit may follow.

Now, the real question is: Who will take his place at the IMF?