The French will be stunned to wake up Friday and learn that the case against Dominique Strauss-Kahn -- the former chief of the IMF, and socialist party politician -- is on the verge of collapse.

Prosecutors are weighing whether to completely drop the sexual assault charges against him, in large part due to the lack of credibility of the maid.

Let's suppose this happens, the question then turns to French politics.

Prior to arrest, DSK was the likely socialist candidate to run against Nicolas Sarkozy, and he was seen as having a good shot at beating him.

Now his odds would be even better. Remember, DSK has been viewed rather sympathetically in the French media, post-arrest, with much blame going towards the American media (for how he has been portrayed) and the American criminal justice system (for how he was treated, e.g. the stint in Riker's Island, the humiliating shot of him in a suicide suit).

So he comes back to France a hero, having weather the criminal justice system and the media. He easily wins the Socialist nomination, and with tensions over euro bailouts reaching a boil, he then defeats Sarkozy.

(Hat tip to John Gapper for first pointing out this likely arc in a tweet. It really makes perfect sense.)