Daddy Sarkozy or Mummy Hollande?

PARIS — Returning from the political wilderness, former French President Nicolas Sarkozy has taken a big step toward a possible re-election bid by winning the leadership of the country’s main conservative party. Sarkozy had been widely expected to win the Union for a Popular Movement leadership in the vote by party members Saturday. The 59-year-old Gaullist collected 64.5% of the vote to defeat former government ministers Bruno Le Maire and Herve Mariton, a margin that some analysts said was below expectations.

Given the extreme economic mess socialist president Francois Hollande has made in France, it should not be too shocking to discover a surge in the popularity of the National Front, a far-right, eurosceptic political party led by Marine Le Pen. A recent poll by Le Nouvel Observateur shows the National Front is in the lead for the first time ever. Poll Results

Paris (AFP) - France's former president Nicolas Sarkozy was on Saturday tipped to win the leadership of his right-wing UMP in party elections, a position seen as a potential springboard back into high office.

Political observers appeared widely confused by Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal's (R) unusual video announcement that he's joining the 2016 presidential race.

With just over a week to go before the first match in Euro 2016 gets underway in France, and with the CGT union causing fuel disruptions in the country, French president Francois Hollande is now facing significant transportation disruptions.

French president Nicolas Sarkozy is campaigning on a pledge to consult people directly on "significant issues". However, despite trailing in polls, Sarkozy refuses to agree to referendum on EU fiscal treaty. Mr Sarkozy, who is trailing the socialist François Hollande in opinion polls seven weeks before the presidential election, came under pressure to promise a referendum on the pact after he pledged to consult the people directly on significant issues if re-elected.