PARIS: Former French leader Nicolas Sarkozy announced today he will seek the nomination of his centre-right party to stand in next year's presidential election. "I have decided to be a candidate in the 2017 presidential election," Sarkozy, who was president between 2007 and 2012, wrote in the foreword to a new book "Tout pour la France" (All for France) due out later this week. "The next five years will be filled with danger but also with hope," wrote the 61-year-old conservative, who had made no secret of his ambition to reconquer the top office. "France demands that you give her your all. "I feel I have the strength to lead the fight at such a turbulent moment in our history," Sarkozy said, alluding to the string of terror attacks that have rocked the country in the past year and a half.His aides told AFP that he would be stepping down today as the leader of the Republicans party to focus on his campaign.

Source: Times of India August 22, 2016 15:33 UTC