France's main conservative party edged closer to resolving a crisis on Sunday as an ally of one of the two men disputing its leadership called for a new vote to pick a leader, reports Reuters.
A two-week-old row over who won a November 18 vote for the UMP's presidency has plunged the opposition party into disarray and self-absorption, leaving Socialist President Francois Hollande unchallenged to advance left-wing policies.
It has prompted former president Nicolas Sarkozy to warn the rivals that they must find a solution to the deadlock by Tuesday or he will disown both in public, according to French media.
But a solution appeared to draw nearer as former minister Luc Chatel, an ally of contested UMP chief Jean-Francois Cope, changed his stance and called for a new vote to keep the party together.
"We need to let the members' voice be heard," Chatel told weekly paper Journal du Dimanche. "Nothing is more important than the party's unity, everything must be done to save it."
The option of a new vote has been touted by former prime minister Francois Fillon, who says Cope's win is not valid due to fraud suspicions and because it was confirmed by a biased committee. Cope says Fillon is trying to circumvent party rules.
To break the deadlock, former president Nicolas Sarkozy suggested holding a referendum on whether to hold a new vote.
Read more of this report from Reuters.