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French premier steps down to focus on presidential election
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French Prime Minister Manuel Valls waves after announcing his candidacy for the Socialist primary next month in Evry, outside Paris, Monday Dec. 5, 2016. (AP/Thibault Camus)
F
rench Prime Minister Manuel Valls has stepped down to focus on running for president in next year's election and has been replaced by Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve.
Valls resigned Tuesday, a day after announcing his candidacy after President Francois Hollande decided not to run for a second term last week.
Valls hopes to unite Socialists and give the left a chance to stay at the Elysee Palace despite current opinion polls suggesting the second round of the election could pit Marine Le Pen, the leader of the far-right National Front, against conservative Francois Fillon.
The 53-year-old Cazeneuve is a close ally of Hollande and became a popular figure in French politics over the past two years as the champion of the fight against Islamic extremism in his interior minister role.
