Valerie Pécresse, a veteran politician who served as minister under former President Nicolas Sarkozy, will go into a runoff as favorite to be picked as the center-right Les Républicains’ candidate in the French presidential election in April, reports the National Post.
Pécresse will face Eric Ciotti, a staunch right-winger among the party ranks, in the runoff. The winner will head the party’s bid to return to power for the first time in a decade.
In a surprise result in the first round, Ciotti came first among the five challengers with 25.6% of votes cast by registered members. Pécresse, who heads the greater Paris region, took 25%.
However, Pécresse emerged as favorite in the runoff as the three other candidates swiftly threw their support behind her. The winner will be declared on Saturday afternoon.
Ciotti entered the race as an unfancied runner but his no-nonsense talk on restoring the state’s authority, defending France’s national identity and promoting economic liberalism struck a chord with members.