Former French defence minister withdraws from presidential race

Feb 1, 2012, 9:59 GMT

Paris - Former French defence minister Jean-Pierre Chevenement withdrew from the race for president Wednesday, saying he did not have the means to continue his campaign.

Chevenement, a 72-year-old senator who broke away from the Socialist Party in the 1990s to form his own Citizen and Republican Movement, announced his withdrawal in a statement sent to AFP news agency.

In November, Chevenement had announced he would run on a ticket to reindustrialize France and push for the European Union to be reconfigured as a looser confederation.

He first ran for president in 2002, when he won 5.3 per cent of the vote.

His announcement came as two polls showed Socialist presidential frontrunner Francois Hollande widening his lead over incumbent President Nicolas Sarkozy.

A poll conducted by TNS Sofres published Wednesday showed Hollande likely to win 31.5 per cent of votes in the first round of the election on April 22, compared with 26 per cent for Sarkozy and 16 per cent for far-right National Front leader Marine le Pen.

On Tuesday, an IFOP poll credited Hollande with 31 per cent support, Sarkozy with 24.5 per cent and le Pen with 19 per cent.

Both polls were conducted after Sarkozy gave an hour-long television interview Sunday, in which he announced several reforms, including an increase in value-added tax.

Sarkozy has yet to officially confirm he will run for reelection but has intimated he will seek a second term. His announcement is expected between mid-February and early March.