Former prime minister Francois Fillon looked on Friday to be in a strong position to claim his center-right party's nomination to contest next year's French presidential election as he and rival Alain Juppe held final rallies of the primary campaign.
Former prime minister Francois Fillon is favourite to become the French centre-right's presidential candidate after a voting upset that puts him in pole position for a showdown with far right leader Marine Le Pen in next year's election.
French voters defied expectations on Sunday (Nov 20) by throwing ex-president Nicolas Sarkozy out of the race to be the conservatives' nominee for the presidential election and propelling his ex-prime minister Francois Fillon to top spot.
Former French prime minister Francois Fillon was seen as the winner of a final debate before a vote on who gets the conservatives' candidacy in next year's presidential election, a poll showed, in a fresh upset for favourite Alain Juppe.
France's presidential race started in earnest yesterday as seven rightwing candidates including former president Nicolas Sarkozy were confirmed to contest a November primary, with the nominee seen as the likely winner of next year's election.
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