Sarkozy under pressure as French right holds presidential primary

[WorldNews]

​

French voters went to the polls Sunday for the first round of a US-style primary to choose a rightwing candidate for next year's presidential elections, with former president Nicolas Sarkozy and ex-prime minister Alain Juppe facing a late challenge from an outsider. A last-minute surge in the opinion polls by Francois Fillon, who was prime minister under Sarkozy, showed he was in contention to grab one of the top two spots for next Sunday's runoff. The outcome is crucial because with the French left divided, the conservative candidate who emerges is tipped to take the presidency in May after beating far-right leader Marine Le Pen.

Continue reading...