France election: Socialists scramble to avoid split after Fillon win / Hollande announces he will not stand for re-election / French PM Valls officially announces he wants to be next president

French Prime Minister Manuel Valls suggested on the 27 November 2016 that he might stand against President Francois Hollande in Socialist Party primaries in January 2017 to select a candidate for the 2017 French Presidential Elections. However, Valls dismissed speculation of a possible rift with President Hollande the following day.

On the 1 December 2016 President Hollande announced live on tv that he would not stand for re-election for a second term.

On the 5 December 2016 French Prime Minister Manuel Valls announced that he would stand in the January 2017 primaries to choose the Socialist candidate to fight in the 2017 presidential election in France. As a result he would step down as French Prime Minister as from the 6 December 2016.

The deadline to take part in the primaries was 15 December 2016. The seven candidates confirmed were:

Jean-Luc Bennahmias
François de Rugy
Benoît Hamon
Arnaud Montebourg
Vincent Peillon
Sylvia Pinel
Manuel Valls

Two other candidates on the French left - Emmanuel Macron and Jean-Luc Melenchon - were bypassing the primary to run as independent candidates.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Who will be France's next president? / Maverick Montebourg declares French presidency bid / France's Hollande says feels 'urge' to run again in 2017 / France’s president self-destructs http://www.europeansources.info/record/who-will-be-frances-next-president-maverick-montebourg-declares-french-presidency-bid-frances-hollande-says-feels-urge-to-run-again-in-2017-frances-president-self-destructs/

ESO: Key source: France Presidential Election 2017 http://www.europeansources.info/record/french-presidential-election-2017/

Politico, 28.11.16: French Socialists in chaos as Valls confronts Hollande http://www.politico.eu/article/french-socialists-chaos-manuel-valls-confronts-francois-hollande/

France24, 28.11.16: France’s Valls downplays speculation of rift with Hollande over left-wing primaries http://www.france24.com/en/20161128-france-valls-plays-down-rumours-rift-hollande-left-wing-presidential-primaries

The Guardian, 28.11.16: France: government in turmoil as Socialist infighting grows https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/nov/28/france-government-in-turmoil-as-socialist-infighting-grows

EurActiv, 29.11.16: What you need to know about the French left primary http://www.euractiv.com/section/elections/news/what-you-need-to-know-about-the-french-left-primary/

The Local.fr, 01.12.16: Hollande announces he will NOT stand for re-election http://www.thelocal.fr/20161201/hollande-announces-he-will-not-stand-for-re-election

BBC News, 01.12.16: France's Hollande decides not to run again http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-38173350

Politico 01.12.16: François Hollande will not run for French presidency http://www.politico.eu/article/francois-hollande-will-not-run-for-french-presidency/

The Guardian, 01.12.16: François Hollande will not seek re-election as president of France https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/dec/01/francois-hollande-not-seek-second-term-president-france

France24, 30.11.16: Will he, won’t he? Hollande’s silence over primaries leaves Socialist Party in disarray http://www.france24.com/en/20161130-france-hollande-silence-left-wing-presidential-primaries-socialist-party-disarray

France24, 01.12.16: French President François Hollande says he will not seek re-election http://www.france24.com/en/20161201-liveblog-live-french-president-francois-hollande-says-he-will-not-seek-election

EUObserver, 02.12.16: [Analysis]: Hollande's withdrawal increases election uncertainties https://euobserver.com/political/136116

EurActiv, 02.12.16: Hollande will not stand for re-election, acknowledges unpopularity http://www.euractiv.com/section/elections/news/hollande-will-not-stand-for-re-election-acknowledges-unpopularity/

Euro|Topics: Debates, December 2016: Hollande will not seek a second term http://www.eurotopics.net/en/170572/hollande-will-not-seek-a-second-term

Politico, 02.12.16: Divided Socialists’ choices no simpler without Hollande http://www.politico.eu/article/divided-socialists-choices-no-simpler-without-francois-hollande-macron-valls-montebourg-french-presidency-election/

Politico, 02.12.16: Manuel Valls, the French Left’s best (and worst) hope http://www.politico.eu/article/manuel-valls-the-french-lefts-best-and-worst-hope-socialist/

The Local.fr, 02.12.16: Manuel Valls: A man on a mission to save the French left http://www.thelocal.fr/20161202/manuel-valls-man-on-a-mission-to-save-the-french-left

The Conversation, 02.12.16: Where did it all go wrong? François Hollande flops out of presidential race https://theconversation.com/where-did-it-all-go-wrong-francois-hollande-flops-out-of-presidential-race-69806

Deutsche Welle, 05.12.16: French Prime Minister Manuel Valls announces presidential bid http://dw.com/p/2Tn7y

The Local.fr, 05.12.16: French PM Valls officially announces he wants to be next president http://www.thelocal.fr/20161205/french-pm-valls-to-announce-bid-for-presidency

France24, 05.12.16: Manuel Valls and the daunting challenge of uniting the left http://www.france24.com/en/20161205-manuel-valls-strongman-with-daunting-challenge-uniting-left

Politico, 05.12.16: Manuel Valls to run for French presidency http://www.politico.eu/article/manuel-valls-to-run-for-french-presidency-2017/

EurActiv, 06.12.16: Manuel Valls: Tough-talker with French presidential ambitions http://www.euractiv.com/section/elections/news/manuel-valls-a-tough-talker-with-french-presidential-ambitions/

Politico, 17.12.16: Seven candidates in running for French left-wing primaries http://www.politico.eu/article/seven-candidates-in-running-for-french-left-wing-primaries/

Deutsche Welle, 18.12.16: France's left-wing candidates prepare for divisive primaries http://dw.com/p/2UTKp

The Local.fr, 15.12.16: Uphill battle awaits frontrunner Valls on leftwing deadline day http://www.thelocal.fr/20161215/uphill-battle-awaits-frontrunner-valls-on-leftwing-deadline-day

EurActiv, 04.01.17: France’s Valls courts traditional socialists in presidential bid http://www.euractiv.com/section/elections/news/frances-valls-courts-traditional-socialists-in-presidential-bid/

CAPX, 05.01.17: Can anyone halt the death spiral of the Left in France? https://capx.co/can-anyone-halt-the-death-spiral-of-the-left-in-france/

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