EghtesadOnline: Alain Juppe , a former prime minister who was defeated in the Republican party primary, said he won’t step in as a replacement candidate in France’s presidential election.

EghtesadOnline: Former prime minister Francois Fillon looked on Friday to be in a strong position to claim his center-right party's nomination to contest next year's French presidential election as he and rival Alain Juppe held final rallies of the primary campaign.

EghtesadOnline: Francois Fillon heads into a runoff campaign for France's conservative presidential ticket on Monday as favorite after winning the endorsement of ex-president Nicolas Sarkozy whom he ousted from the race after a stunning late surge in polls.

EghtesadOnline: Either former prime minister Alain Juppe or ex-president Nicolas Sarkozy, both old foxes of French politics, will win the conservative party's ticket to run for president next year, with Juppe holding the lead, a survey showed on Thursday.