François Hollande, the least popular French president since the second world war, has announced he will not run for a second term in office. France: government in turmoil as Socialist infighting grows Read moreHe is the first French president since the war not to attempt to run for re-election. François Fillon, the right’s presidential candidate and the favourite to win next spring, said Hollande had “admitted with lucidity that his obvious failure stopped him going any further”. Hollande said he was pleased he had led France to intervene against Islamists in Mali, in west Africa. The French presidential election takes place next April and May.

Source: The Guardian December 01, 2016 19:20 UTC