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| France presidential race: Fillon and Juppe face off in poll | France presidential race: Fillon and Juppe face off in poll |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| Voters in France have been choosing between Francois Fillon and Alain Juppe to be their centre-right presidential candidate in next year's election. | |
| Mr Fillon is now seen as the favourite to win Sunday's run-off, after securing 44.1% of votes in the first round a week ago. Mr Juppe had 28.5%. | Mr Fillon is now seen as the favourite to win Sunday's run-off, after securing 44.1% of votes in the first round a week ago. Mr Juppe had 28.5%. |
| Former President Nicolas Sarkozy was knocked out of the race. | Former President Nicolas Sarkozy was knocked out of the race. |
| The Republican candidate is widely expected to take on far-right National Front leader Marine Le Pen next spring. | The Republican candidate is widely expected to take on far-right National Front leader Marine Le Pen next spring. |
| Juppe v Fillon: Battle of France's conservatives | Juppe v Fillon: Battle of France's conservatives |
| French conservatives' election gets personal | French conservatives' election gets personal |
| Fillon under fire over women's rights | Fillon under fire over women's rights |
| Polls across France closed at 18:00 GMT, with the results expected in the coming hours. | |
| It is the party's first such primary vote, modelled on the US system. The race for the nomination has come down to a choice between two former prime ministers. | It is the party's first such primary vote, modelled on the US system. The race for the nomination has come down to a choice between two former prime ministers. |
| Turnout on Sunday appears to be higher than in the first round a week ago, when more than four million people cast their ballots. | |
| Thierry Solere, president of the organising committee, said the number of voters was 4.5% higher at 17:00 local time (16:00 GMT) on Sunday than at the same time in the first round, with 78% of polling stations taken into account. | |
| Both Mr Fillon, 62, and Mr Juppe, 71, want economic reforms - but they differ widely on how far and how fast to take them. | Both Mr Fillon, 62, and Mr Juppe, 71, want economic reforms - but they differ widely on how far and how fast to take them. |
| Mr Fillon says France is angry and wants radical change. He is planning to slash 500,000 public jobs. | Mr Fillon says France is angry and wants radical change. He is planning to slash 500,000 public jobs. |
| Mr Juppe is proposing to sack just over half that number of people, and is focusing on a message of harmony and diversity. | Mr Juppe is proposing to sack just over half that number of people, and is focusing on a message of harmony and diversity. |
| Earlier this week, the two contenders clashed over the level of change they were promising to bring in a TV debate. | Earlier this week, the two contenders clashed over the level of change they were promising to bring in a TV debate. |
| A poll of 908 debate viewers by Elabe suggested 71% of conservative respondents found Mr Fillon more convincing, as did 57% of viewers of all political stripes. | A poll of 908 debate viewers by Elabe suggested 71% of conservative respondents found Mr Fillon more convincing, as did 57% of viewers of all political stripes. |
| Analysis - Hugh Schofield, BBC Paris Correspondent | Analysis - Hugh Schofield, BBC Paris Correspondent |
| Nothing is certain. | Nothing is certain. |
| There are many people on the centre and left of French politics who think Francois Fillon is too right-wing and that he has less of a chance than Alain Juppe of beating Marine Le Pen in the presidential election. | There are many people on the centre and left of French politics who think Francois Fillon is too right-wing and that he has less of a chance than Alain Juppe of beating Marine Le Pen in the presidential election. |
| These Fillon-sceptics are allowed to vote in the primary, which is open to all voters - and if they do so in numbers, it could make a difference. | These Fillon-sceptics are allowed to vote in the primary, which is open to all voters - and if they do so in numbers, it could make a difference. |
| Mr Juppe - who was once the favourite to win this primary - has spent the past week highlighting Mr Fillon's personal views on abortion and gay marriage, which is widely seen as a bid to mobilise centrist and perhaps even left-wing voters, the BBC's Lucy Williamson in Paris reports. | |
| Mr Juppe also said his rival was close to Russian President Vladimir Putin, amid growing tensions between the West and Moscow over the crises in Syria and Ukraine. | Mr Juppe also said his rival was close to Russian President Vladimir Putin, amid growing tensions between the West and Moscow over the crises in Syria and Ukraine. |
| "This must be the first presidential election in which the Russian president chooses his candidate," Mr Juppe said. | "This must be the first presidential election in which the Russian president chooses his candidate," Mr Juppe said. |
| Mr Fillon has argued that the EU and the US "provoked" Russia by expanding in Eastern Europe, calling for an alliance with Russia to fight Islamic State militants in Syria. | Mr Fillon has argued that the EU and the US "provoked" Russia by expanding in Eastern Europe, calling for an alliance with Russia to fight Islamic State militants in Syria. |
| Mr Fillon, a Roman Catholic, has also complained of being portrayed as a "medieval conservative", describing his opponent as a "man of the system" with no real plans for change. | Mr Fillon, a Roman Catholic, has also complained of being portrayed as a "medieval conservative", describing his opponent as a "man of the system" with no real plans for change. |
| After losing last Sunday's first round, Mr Sarkozy endorsed Mr Fillon. | After losing last Sunday's first round, Mr Sarkozy endorsed Mr Fillon. |