The race to be the French conservative candidate for president is now between two ex-prime ministers. Both want big public sector cuts and business incentives, including lower taxes, to re-energise the economy, reports the BBC.
The big surprise of Sunday's primary vote in the centre-right Republican party was the size of François Fillon's win. The free-market liberal, and fan of Britain's Margaret Thatcher, got more than 44%, well ahead of Alain Juppé, who came second with 28.6%. So Mr Fillon is favourite to win the runoff vote on 27 November.
The Republican candidate is widely expected to face far-right National Front (FN) leader Marine Le Pen in the presidential election runoff vote next May. But what are the main differences between Mr Fillon and Mr Juppé?
François Fillon
Mr Fillon, 62, was very much overshadowed by President Nicolas Sarkozy when he served as prime minister in 2007-2012.
Mr Fillon's success in Sunday's primary vote - and Mr Sarkozy's shock defeat - was the result of strong performances in the three TV debates, when he projected a "calm, statesman-like" image, according to Prof James Shields, a French politics expert at Aston University. "He came across as a conviction politician, without theatricals."
Despite his five years as prime minister, for many French voters Mr Fillon was still rather an unknown quantity. That was an advantage, compared with the controversies that have dogged Mr Sarkozy and Mr Juppé, says Prof Shields.
Mr Fillon's calm image contrasted sharply with Mr Sarkozy's flamboyant, "showbiz" style, according to Prof Philippe Marlière, who teaches French politics at University College, London.
"François Fillon's values are quite old-fashioned. He is a French bourgeois type, who got the support of more traditionalist Catholic groups," Prof Marliere said.
Mr Fillon is not especially charismatic but he is doing well now because "French conservatives have shifted to the right, they want someone who is more neoliberal and tougher on identity politics", Prof Marlière told the BBC.
That shift was influenced by the hardline positions of Mr Sarkozy and Ms Le Pen on immigration and national security, he said.