This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-38710897
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| France election: Socialists vote in presidential primary | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Socialist voters in France have cast ballots in a nationwide presidential primary to decide on their nominee for the election in April. | Socialist voters in France have cast ballots in a nationwide presidential primary to decide on their nominee for the election in April. |
| Partial results suggest left-wing ex-Education Minister Benoit Hamon and ex-PM Manuel Valls will advance from the seven candidates to a second round. | Partial results suggest left-wing ex-Education Minister Benoit Hamon and ex-PM Manuel Valls will advance from the seven candidates to a second round. |
| The run-off will be held next Sunday. | The run-off will be held next Sunday. |
| Opinion polls suggest that whoever wins will have little chance of reaching the final round of the presidential election in May. | Opinion polls suggest that whoever wins will have little chance of reaching the final round of the presidential election in May. |
| Inside the Socialists' battle for the future | Inside the Socialists' battle for the future |
| With about half of the votes counted, Mr Hamon, 48, who was sacked by the government of President Francois Hollande, was ahead on 36.1%, with centrist Mr Valls, 54, on 31.2%. | |
| Another left-winger, Arnaud Montebourg, was in third place. | |
| But the extent of the top pair's lead suggests they will not now be caught. | |
| Mr Valls said the choice in the second round would be "between an assured defeat and possible victory". | |
| Mr Hamon said voters had sent "a clear message of hope and revival and a desire to turn a new page in the history of the Left and of France". | |
| Mr Hollande, whose approval rating has set a new low for the office, decided not to seek re-election. | Mr Hollande, whose approval rating has set a new low for the office, decided not to seek re-election. |
| The Socialists' choice of nominee may also determine the future of popular independent candidate Emmanuel Macron, a charismatic ex-banker who appeals to the same moderate voters as Mr Valls. | The Socialists' choice of nominee may also determine the future of popular independent candidate Emmanuel Macron, a charismatic ex-banker who appeals to the same moderate voters as Mr Valls. |
| The final round in May is expected to become a battle between the conservative former Prime Minister Francois Fillon, and Marine Le Pen - leader of the far-right National Front (FN). | The final round in May is expected to become a battle between the conservative former Prime Minister Francois Fillon, and Marine Le Pen - leader of the far-right National Front (FN). |
| Read more on France's main presidential candidates: | Read more on France's main presidential candidates: |
| Mr Fillon is widely expected to emerge as the winner. His proposals include cutting business taxes, relaxing labour laws, and scrapping France's 35-hour working week in an attempt to boost growth. | Mr Fillon is widely expected to emerge as the winner. His proposals include cutting business taxes, relaxing labour laws, and scrapping France's 35-hour working week in an attempt to boost growth. |
| He would also cut half a million public sector jobs as part of a drive to shrink the state sector. | He would also cut half a million public sector jobs as part of a drive to shrink the state sector. |