French Socialists tilt left, pick Hamon as election candidate
The victory is another upset in an election seen as highly unpredictable, with the former education minister viewed as an outsider only three weeks ago
Paris — French left-winger Benoit Hamon clinched the Socialist nomination to run for president, partial results showed Sunday, as a fresh scandal engulfed conservative election frontrunner Francois Fillon. Results from a Socialist primary runoff vote showed Hamon beating his centrist rival Manuel Valls with 58.65% of the vote in a clear victory for the traditional left-wing of the party. "Benoit Hamon won decisively," Valls said in a concession speech. "Benoit Hamon is henceforth the candidate of our political family," added the former prime minister. The victory is another upset in an election seen as highly unpredictable, with the 49-year-old former education minister viewed as an outsider only three weeks ago. His nomination completes the line-up of the main candidates in the two-round election in April and May which pollsters forecast will confirm France’s shift to the right after five years of unpopular Socialist rule. The candidates include rightwing Republicans party frontrun...
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