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France presidential race: Fillon wins conservative candidacy | France presidential race: Fillon wins conservative candidacy |
(35 minutes later) | |
Francois Fillon is to be the conservative candidate in next year's French presidential election after his rival Alain Juppe admitted defeat. | |
With virtually all the results counted, Mr Fillon had won Sunday's run-off with nearly 67% of the vote. | |
Mr Fillon said action was now needed to build a fairer society. | Mr Fillon said action was now needed to build a fairer society. |
He is likely to face a Socialist candidate and the far-right's Marine Le Pen in next April's election. | He is likely to face a Socialist candidate and the far-right's Marine Le Pen in next April's election. |
"My approach has been understood," he told his supporters after the result of the Republican party primary became clear. "France can't bear its decline. It was truth and it wants action." | |
Who is French presidential candidate Fillon? | Who is French presidential candidate Fillon? |
Fillon under fire over women's rights | |
Mr Juppe, the more moderate candidate, congratulated Mr Fillon on his "large victory" and pledged to support him in his bid to become president. | |
Analysis by Lucy Williamson, BBC News, Paris | Analysis by Lucy Williamson, BBC News, Paris |
Francois Fillon was the man to beat going into this run-off vote, and his team knew it. | Francois Fillon was the man to beat going into this run-off vote, and his team knew it. |
Shortly after polls closed, they were already celebrating at his party headquarters, as the first partial results came in. Within hours, it was confirmed. Mr Fillon had won two-thirds of the vote; a stunning victory for the candidate once seen as the 'third man' in the contest. | Shortly after polls closed, they were already celebrating at his party headquarters, as the first partial results came in. Within hours, it was confirmed. Mr Fillon had won two-thirds of the vote; a stunning victory for the candidate once seen as the 'third man' in the contest. |
Alain Juppe appeared in front of his own, determined supporters, to concede the contest. He gave a small smile to the crowds chanting his name and told them he was ending the contest as he began it: "A free man, who didn't betray who he was or what he thought." | Alain Juppe appeared in front of his own, determined supporters, to concede the contest. He gave a small smile to the crowds chanting his name and told them he was ending the contest as he began it: "A free man, who didn't betray who he was or what he thought." |
The job for Mr Fillon now is to unite his party after this unprecedented primary battle, and prepare to take on the governing Socialist party - and the far-right leader Marine Le Pen - in presidential elections next year. | The job for Mr Fillon now is to unite his party after this unprecedented primary battle, and prepare to take on the governing Socialist party - and the far-right leader Marine Le Pen - in presidential elections next year. |
With votes from 9,334 of the 10,229 polling stations counted, Mr Fillon won 66.9% while Mr Juppe had 33.1%. | |
Mr Fillon had been widely expected to win the race, after securing 44% of the vote in the first round a week ago that saw former President Nicolas Sarkozy knocked out. | |
A former prime minister under Mr Sarkozy, the 62-year-old is a Catholic who is seen as a traditionalist on issues such as abortion and gay marriage. | |
He is proposing dramatic economic reforms that include slashing 500,000 public jobs, ending the 35-hour week, raising the retirement age and scrapping the wealth tax. | |
Mr Juppe, also a former prime minister, had initially been seen as the favourite to win the race, but struggled against Mr Fillon's strong performances in the primary debates. |