Sarkozy crowned official candidate

Via France24

French Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy Sunday was officially designated a candidate in the upcoming presidential elections, after winning the nomination of the ruling Union for a Popular Movement (UMP).

Sarkozy, 51, was acclaimed by a party congress in Paris after winning an internal ballot of 338,000 UMP members to choose a contender for elections in April.

Results showed that Sarkozy had 98.1 percent of votes cast.

There was never any doubt about the result as Sarkozy was the only person seeking the nomination.

Opinion polls show that Sarkozy, who is also UMP chief, is the only politician capable of beating Segolene Royal, the Socialist Party candidate who hopes to become France's first woman president.

Best of luck to him against Royal, should be an interesting election as Le Pen is also running.