A video capturing former French prime minister Francois Fillon saying he will be a candidate in the next presidential election "no matter what" has caused a stir in France's political right, reports the International Business Times.
Fillon's statement came days after his former boss Nicholas Sarkozy fuelled speculation that he is to return to the political scene.
"I'll be a candidate no matter what," Fillon is heard telling journalists during an informal conversation recorded moments after he received a decoration from Japanese emperor Akihito in Tokyo.
The declaration triggered turmoil in Fillon's UMP party, as it seemed to ignore the primary elections scheduled for 2016.
However, shortly after the video was posted online by the BFMTV media outlet, Fillon used twitter to clarify his thoughts.
"[There's] nothing new in my remarks in Tokyo. I just repeated my intention to run as a candidate for UMP 2016 primary elections," Fillon wrote.
Read more of this report from the International Business Times.