Nicolas Sarkozy

François Fillon, the socially conservative former prime minister who plans to shrink the French state, has won the primary race to become the French right’s presidential candidate next spring.

French voters defied expectations on Nov. 20 by throwing ex-president Nicolas Sarkozy out of the race to be the conservatives' nominee for the presidential election and propelling his ex-prime minister Francois Fillon to top spot. 

Late on Sunday night, the former head of state Nicolas Sarkozy annouced his retirment from politics.

His decision was preceded by his loss in the first round of the primary presidential elections which had to determine the two candidates of the Republican Party who will countinue the race to win a place at the Élysée Palace.

Former President Nicolas Sarkozy and his populist, hard-line stand on Muslims and immigration went down in defeat Sunday in France’s conservative primary for president. Two ex-prime ministers will instead meet in a runoff next week for the nomination.

Turkey does not belong in the European Union, the two leading conservative candidates for France's 2017 presidential election, Nicolas Sarkozy and Alain Juppe, said on Nov. 17, restating their opposition to continuing accession talks with Ankara. 

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy has promised to campaign to halt European Union membership talks with Turkey if he is again elected as French head of state in next year's presidential elections.

"It was time that someone told Turkey its place is in Asia," Sarkozy said.  

IMF chief Christine Lagarde will go on trial in France in December over a massive state payout to tycoon Bernard Tapie when she was finance minister, the court hearing the case announced on Sept. 12.

Lagarde, 60, will be tried for negligence by the Court of Justice of the Republic, a tribunal that hears cases against ministers accused of wrongdoing in the discharge of their duties.

French Prime Minister Manuel Valls said on Sept. 11 there would be new attacks in France but proposals by former president Nicolas Sarkozy to boost security was not the right way to deal with  threats.

PARIS — A French prosecutor has requested a criminal trial for former President Nicolas Sarkozy over suspected illegal overspending on his failed 2012 re-election campaign.

The Paris prosecutor's office said Monday it has asked investigating judges to send Sarkozy and 13 others to court in the case. It's now up to the judges to decide whether Sarkozy must stand trial.

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy was to be questioned by investigating magistrates on Feb.16 about a long-running scandal over his 2012 campaign finances.