Former European Union Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier is joining the race to take on Emmanuel Macron in next year’s French presidential election.
Mr Barnier has announced he will fight to become the centre-Right candidate in a likely primary election.
“In these dark times, I took the decision to run for the French presidency, to be president of a reconciled France”, the former foreign minister, 70, told TV channel TF1 on Thursday night.
In February, Mr Barnier set up a faction under the “Patriot and European” name.
Opinion polls show far-Right politician Marine Le Pen is likely to face Mr Macron again in the 2022 presidential final-round vote.
But Mr Barnier is being closely watched by Mr Macron’s camp as he could attract support from the pro-European, centre-Right electorate the President is targeting.
The chances of the centre-Right camp qualifying for the second round hinge on it unifying behind one candidate.
