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| Jean-Francois Cope, Sarkozy ally, wins French UMP vote | Jean-Francois Cope, Sarkozy ally, wins French UMP vote |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The French conservative UMP party has chosen Jean-Francois Cope as its next leader after a tight election marred by claims of fraud and ballot-stuffing. | The French conservative UMP party has chosen Jean-Francois Cope as its next leader after a tight election marred by claims of fraud and ballot-stuffing. |
| Mr Cope, an ally of ex-president Nicolas Sarkozy, won 50.03% of the vote, defeating ex-PM Francois Fillon, who polled 49.97%, by just 98 votes. | Mr Cope, an ally of ex-president Nicolas Sarkozy, won 50.03% of the vote, defeating ex-PM Francois Fillon, who polled 49.97%, by just 98 votes. |
| The final result was delayed for more than 24 hours. | The final result was delayed for more than 24 hours. |
| Mr Cope, the UMP secretary general, is on the right of the party, while Mr Fillon is seen as more of a centrist. | Mr Cope, the UMP secretary general, is on the right of the party, while Mr Fillon is seen as more of a centrist. |
| Party grandees had urged the two candidates to end their war of words, warning that the UMP had been damaged. | Party grandees had urged the two candidates to end their war of words, warning that the UMP had been damaged. |
| Different visions | Different visions |
| Mr Cope, 48, said he had telephoned Mr Fillon, 58, to ask him to join him at the heart of the UMP "because our opponents are on the left". | Mr Cope, 48, said he had telephoned Mr Fillon, 58, to ask him to join him at the heart of the UMP "because our opponents are on the left". |
| "My hands and my arms are wide open," he told supporters after the result was announced. | |
| "It is in that state of mind that I telephoned Francois Fillon this evening, it is in that state of mind that I asked him to join me." | |
| Mr Fillon, speaking after his rival's victory speech, mentioned "many irregularities" in the electoral process but stopped short of rejecting the result. | |
| He also warned of a deepening split in the UMP. | |
| "What strikes me is the rift at the heart of our political camp, a political and moral fracture," he said. | |
| Opinion polls had consistently given Mr Fillon the edge, but initial results on Sunday showed a narrow lead for Mr Cope. | |
| The UMP held the presidency of France for 17 years, until May, when Socialist candidate Francois Hollande defeated Mr Sarkozy's bid for a second term. | The UMP held the presidency of France for 17 years, until May, when Socialist candidate Francois Hollande defeated Mr Sarkozy's bid for a second term. |
| The two candidates have different visions for the party. | The two candidates have different visions for the party. |
| Mr Cope is considered more right-wing. Last month he produced "A Manifesto for an Uninhibited Right" in which he claimed that gangs in the city suburbs were fostering "anti-white racism". | Mr Cope is considered more right-wing. Last month he produced "A Manifesto for an Uninhibited Right" in which he claimed that gangs in the city suburbs were fostering "anti-white racism". |
| Mr Fillon is seen as sober and more restrained. | Mr Fillon is seen as sober and more restrained. |
| The winner will inherit a party in difficult financial straits, after a series of electoral setbacks over the past five years, culminating in Mr Sarkozy's presidential defeat to Socialist rival Francois Hollande. | The winner will inherit a party in difficult financial straits, after a series of electoral setbacks over the past five years, culminating in Mr Sarkozy's presidential defeat to Socialist rival Francois Hollande. |