Paris (AFP) – Seven candidates including ex-president Nicolas Sarkozy were confirmed Wednesday to contest the rightwing primary for France’s presidential election next year, officials said.
Sarkozy’s main rival will be popular former premier Alain Juppe, with the winner of November’s two-round contest expected to be in the driving seat to become president next May.
Also in the running are former prime minister Francois Fillon, the sole woman candidate Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet, former ministers Jean-Francois Cope and Bruno Le Maire and Christian Democratic Party leader Jean-Frederic Poisson.
The primary will be held on November 20 and 27.