French President Francois Hollande should contest a Socialist primary to pick the party’s candidate for next year’s presidential election, a leading Socialist said on Saturday.
Hollande’s popularity rating fell as low as four percent in one recent opinion poll, and speculation over whether the unpopular leader will run again has mounted as the opposition center-right holds its own presidential primary. The center-right Republicains party will choose its candidate on Sunday, with former Prime Minister Francois Fillon in pole position. The Socialist primaries take place in January.
Claude Bartolone, a prominent party member who heads France’s National Assembly lower house of Parliament, said he wanted as many candidates as possible in the Socialist party race.
He urged Hollande, Prime Minister Manuel Valls and former Economy Minister Emmanuel Macron to stand, saying the party would benefit from a large field of candidates.

Source: Arab News