. >> cnn senior international correspondent, jim bitterman is in paris.prosecutors and defense attorneys both jointly according to the reports, are going to be asking fr a sharp reduction in strauss-kahn's bail today. maybe even his very strict bail conditions. what's the reaction in france? this was a man, we don't want to dprgt, who many thought might be the next president of france. >> absolutely true. ali. in fact, this morning, they're using the words that they've used to once or twice before, and that's bombshell and thunderclap and all that sort of thing. because frankly there's no other way to describe it. this is just another sudden reversal in the fate of dominique strauss-kahn and in the fate of french politics. because basically he was the leading candidate, he hadn't been declared, but he was the leading candidate on the socialist party side. and now of course, there's a question about whether or not he could come back. and we went out on the streets today to talk to people. ask them whether or not they thought he was politically finished or

. >> okay, jim bitterman, joining us from minnesota paris.thanks as always. >>> as of today, there's a new face, a french face, at the international monetary fund. christian le guard follows the dramatic departure of dominique strauss-kahn. le guard has a tough battle, winning one of the top financial jobs in the western world. the question is, what kind of leader is the fund's first female m.d. likely to be. transcript of a video message taped for the staff of the imf, obtained by cnn, seems to shed some light on her top priorities. she acknowledges the recent turmoil at the fund, saying i know recent events have not been pleasant for any of you. she will move hard to move things on. le guard promises a number of things. to listen, to be attentive to all and to communicate with staff. she has hinted at a bigger role for the world's emerging markets, saying she's not just a candidate for a particular country, region or a group of countries. she's the director and head of the imf for all of its staff. interesting insights into the new lady at

cnn's jim bitterman has the story from paris. >> reporter: his legal problems may not be over. a 32-year-old journalist says that back in 2003, she was sexually assaulted by strauss kanne when she went to interview him. she says at the time she was talked out of filing charges by her mother who was a mid level socialist party member. and the mother says now that she regrets talking her daughter out of filing those charges. now the lawyers says after the developments in new york they decided to go ahead and bring their complaint to the prosecutor. the prosecutor then will look at the evidence and decide whether there is enough evidence to bring charges officially and formally against strauss kanne. the lawyer explained to cnn exactly why he waited until developments took place in new york. >>. >> translator: if we had something to say to mr. strauss kanne legally, we will do it in france. and we will do it when i am able to explain to my client the consequences. sorry, the exact consequences in the united states of a move made by us and france. >> reporter: now for more on the s

here's cnn's jim bitterman in paris. >> reporter: joe, deskraominiqu strauss-kahn's problems may notg to bring formal complaints over an incident that took place back in 2003. she was a young journalist, went to interview strauss-kahn and she said strauss-kahn sexually assaulted her. didn't bring charges at the time because her mother talked her about it, a mid-level socialist party member, the mother decided to talk her daughter out of it and says now that she regrets that. the lawyer says that he is going to bring the charges now because they were waiting for developments in new york. here's what he told cnn >> translator: if we had something to say to mr. strauss-kahn legally, we'll do it in france, and we will do it when i am able to explain to my client the exact consequences in the united states of a move made by us in france. >> reporter: no matter what happens with the legal charges here in france, it appears most french do not want to see him run for president. according to a public opinion poll that will come out tomorrow. in fact, 54% of those surveyed say they do not want