The Citizen (KZN)

Presidenti­al race heats up

- Paris

– Left-wing outsider Benoit Hamon will fight former prime minister Manuel Valls for the French Socialist presidenti­al nomination on Sunday after winning the first round of the party’s primary.

Hamon was not considered a contender when the campaign began in December, but the 49-yearold ex-education minister put himself in the lead with a “message of hope and renewal”.

With Europe shifting to the right and unpopular President Francois Hollande ruling himself out of contention, the Socialist primary will be a fight for the party’s soul, with the left faction represente­d by Hamon battling Valls’ centrist camp.

Hamon, 49, scored more than 36%, with Valls, 54, trailing on 31%, according to results from about 80% of polling stations.

Former economy minister Arnaud Montebourg was eliminated with 17% and immediatel­y threw his support behind Hamon.

Whoever wins the Socialist nomination faces long odds as polls show the presidenti­al election coming down to a contest between conservati­ve ex-premier Francois Fillon, far-right leader Marine Le Pen and Emmanuel Macron, 39, the former economy minister.

Valls told his supporters the Socialist primary runoff would be “a clear choice between unachievab­le promises and a credible left”. – AFP

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