François Fillon, France's former prime minister, has thrown his party into further turmoil, announcing he will contest the result of a bitter race for leadership of the conservative UMP party, reports The Telegraph.
The move will further dent the image of ex-president Nicolas Sarkozy's UMP – still reeling from its loss of the presidency and parliament this year – and raises the spectre of a split on the right that would benefit the ruling Socialists.
The race for the UMP leadership and accusations of voter fraud have hurt the party's image at a time it could be taking advantage of President François Hollande's falling popularity over his handling of the economy.
Mr Fillon, 58, who lost by just 98 votes to Mr Sarkozy's close ally Jean-François Copé in Sunday's vote, said the count did not include ballots cast in some of France's overseas territories which would have handed him victory.
Mr Fillon said he conceded the race to Mr Copé on Monday in the spirit of party unity, but was now contesting the results and asking party heavyweight Alain Juppe, Mr Sarkozy's ex-foreign minister, to take over as interim head of the UMP.
"Everybody can see that our party is at an impasse. Its credibility and unity are under threat. I do not want our movement to tear itself apart under the weight of suspicions that are now hanging over this vote," Mr Fillon said in a statement.
He said he was "saddened" by the party's crisis, but insisted he was "simply demanding the truth".
Read more of this AFP report published by The Telegraph.