Just in:
Andertoons by Mark Anderson for Thu, 28 Mar 2024 // German Job Market Resilience Bodes Well for Economic Recovery // Sharjah Chamber Breaks Ground on Final Expansion with New HQ Pact // Universal Language for Healthcare: General Authority Embraces Global Coding System // Meta Earth Official Website Launch: The Pioneer Explorer in the Modular Public Blockchain Domain // No running of govt from jail, says Delhi Lt Governor // Hope for Respite as UAE Endorses UN Plea for Gaza Truce // Infineon and HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering jointly develop ship electrification technology // Ajman Celebrates Conclusion of Ramadan Activities with Grand Ceremony // First-Ever Fortune Innovation Forum Draws Top Global Leaders to Hong Kong, Promoting Agendas On Collective Cross-Sector Advancement // US reiterates concern over Kejriwal arrest, Cong accounts // Following the Money Trail: US and UK Investigate $20 Billion in USDT Transfers Tied to Sanctioned Russian Exchange // AIA Hong Kong Wins More Than 20 Accolades at MPF Ratings MPF Awards, BENCHMARK MPF of The Year Awards and Bloomberg Businessweek Top Fund Awards // Experience Ultimate Shopping Freedom at 4.4 Shopee Spree: Don’t Worry, Shop Shopee! // Konica Minolta is named ASEAN 2023 Market Leader in Colour Light and Mid Digital Production Printers // Emirates Post Speeds Up Deliveries for GCC with Special Day // Ingdan Announces 2023 Annual Results // U.S. Compliance Takes Center Stage at OKX Following Industry Jitters // TUMI Hosts Global Launch Event in Singapore to Unveil Women’s Asra Collection and Announce Global Ambassador, Mun Ka Young // 2024 Lok Sabha Elections Will Be The Costliest One Till Now In The Whole World //
HomeFT SelectSarkozy concedes as Fillon causes upset in primary

Sarkozy concedes as Fillon causes upset in primary

8bbbeaf2 af61 11e6 9c37 5787335499a0

The political comeback of former French president Nicolas Sarkozy ended abruptly on Sunday when he conceded he would not be reaching the run-off of the centre right primaries to fight the presidential campaign next year.

A late surge of support for François Fillon caused a major upset, as about 4m voters headed to the polls in the first step of a process expected to give France its next president.

ADVERTISEMENT

A few hours after polling stations closed, the 62-year-old former prime minister, long the third man in the race, was leading in most polling stations, belying predictions that Alain Juppé, the former prime minister and until recently the favourite, would face Mr Sarkozy in a second round in seven days’ time.

Mr Fillon attracted 44 per cent of the votes in polling stations representing more than half the voters, according to the High Authority supervising the primary. Mr Juppé followed with 28 per cent of the votes. In those stations, Mr Sarkozy came third with 20.7 per cent.

For the former president, a failure to finish among the top two candidates is another devastating blow after losing the 2012 presidential election to François Hollande.

Mr Sarkozy had gone back on a vow to abandon politics by seizing the helm of his Republicans party in 2014 and promising “a blast”.

On Sunday night, the former leader hinted he would this time retire for good, and announced he would back Mr Fillon in the second round.

“I haven’t succeeded in convincing a majority of French voters,” Mr Sarkozy said, visibly moved. “It’s time for me to live a life with more private passions and fewer public passions. Good luck France.”

Mr Fillon, a conservative Catholic who has developed a free-market platform and advocated a rapprochement with Russian President Vladimir Putin, said: “Everywhere the French told me of their desire for freedom, authority and respect. I spare a special thought for Nicolas Sarkozy who was president of France.”

The outcome is also a disappointment for Mr Juppé, who has sought to appeal to a broad swath of the centre of the political spectrum with liberal values and a more moderate stance on the economy. He now faces an uphill battle to win the second round.

On Sunday, he emphasised the need to prevent the resurgent far-right party National Front from reaching power in the presidential run-off next year.

“I have decided to continue the fight,” Mr Juppé said. “Today was a surprise, but [next] Sunday will be another surprise.”

Pollsters expect that the winner of the Republicans and centrist primaries will face — and beat — far-right leader Marine Le Pen in presidential elections next year, with no candidates on the left — including Socialist President Hollande — seeming likely to have enough support to qualify for the second round.

The high stakes pushed voters to turn out en masse on Sunday for the first ever French rightwing primary.

Voters did not need to be party members or even sympathisers to take part in this groundbreaking centre-right primary. All registered voters were allowed to cast their ballot for one of the seven contenders provided they paid €2 and signed a charter stating they respected centre-right Republican values. Yet 15 per cent of those who intended to vote were leftwing sympathisers.

The unexpected outcome of the primaries has reinforced the sense of upheaval in the French political mainstream — shaken by the anti-elite uprising behind Donald Trump’s election as US president and the UK’s vote to leave the EU as well as the electoral gains of Ms Le Pen’s National Front.

Via FT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT
Just in:
Meta Earth Official Website Launch: The Pioneer Explorer in the Modular Public Blockchain Domain // AIA Hong Kong Wins More Than 20 Accolades at MPF Ratings MPF Awards, BENCHMARK MPF of The Year Awards and Bloomberg Businessweek Top Fund Awards // Emirates Post Speeds Up Deliveries for GCC with Special Day // Following the Money Trail: US and UK Investigate $20 Billion in USDT Transfers Tied to Sanctioned Russian Exchange // Ajman Celebrates Conclusion of Ramadan Activities with Grand Ceremony // First-Ever Fortune Innovation Forum Draws Top Global Leaders to Hong Kong, Promoting Agendas On Collective Cross-Sector Advancement // 2024 Lok Sabha Elections Will Be The Costliest One Till Now In The Whole World // Experience Ultimate Shopping Freedom at 4.4 Shopee Spree: Don’t Worry, Shop Shopee! // Sunshine’s Debut Features Leave Tech World Scratching Its Head // Sharpening the Focus: Sharjah Health Department Refines Evaluation Criteria for “Healthy Schools Programme” // Sharjah Chamber Breaks Ground on Final Expansion with New HQ Pact // No running of govt from jail, says Delhi Lt Governor // Andertoons by Mark Anderson for Thu, 28 Mar 2024 // Infineon and HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering jointly develop ship electrification technology // Konica Minolta is named ASEAN 2023 Market Leader in Colour Light and Mid Digital Production Printers // Hope for Respite as UAE Endorses UN Plea for Gaza Truce // French Leaders Gather for Interfaith Iftar Dinner // Samsung Partners National Heritage Board to Bring a Slice of Singapore’s Cultural Heritage to Samsung The Frame TV // U.S. Compliance Takes Center Stage at OKX Following Industry Jitters // Emirati Aid Reaches Ukraine as Food Shortages Bite //