Former French Prime Minister Francois Fillon defeated centrist former Premier Allain Juppe in France’s presidential primary on Sunday, setting up a showdown next year with Marine Le Pen, leader of the far-right, anti-immigration National Front.
With 90 percent of the vote counted, Fillion, 62, led the 71-year-old Bordeaux mayor 67 percent to 33 percent for the Les Republicains nomination.
Juppe conceded.
The final round of voting is in May 2017. Ahead of the final round, the Socialist party will hold its primaries in January amid signs Prime Minister Manuel Valls will challenge President Francois Hollande if he decides to seek re-election. Balloting in April will determine the two candidates who will face off the following month.
Fillon’s support soared after he penned a book on the dangers of “Islamic totalitarianism” and the need to defend France’s national identity.
Fillon pledged to unite the party in his victory speech, saying the nation has a chance now to reassert its position in the world and undo what he sees as the damage caused by Hollande, whose administration he called “pathetic.” He called for former President Nicolas Sarkozy and Juppe to help him succeed.
Presidential recycling…