France's Nicolas Sarkozy wins UMP party leadership election Saturday Nov 29,2014

 

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy has been elected as head of the Union for a Popular Movement (UMP) party receiving 64.5 % of the vote, well ahead of his nearest rival Bruno le Marie,Le Maire, a former agriculture minister, received less than 29.2 % and a third candidate, MP Herve Mariton had just 6.3 % leaving him clear to launch a campaign to return as the country's leader in 2017.

The UMP, which has struggled to be effective in opposition to Francois Hollande, will choose its presidential nominee in 2016

This victory advances Mr Sarkozy's hopes of running in the presidential race, and cements his return to the political scene after losing to Francois Hollande in 2012