French conservatives voting in first presidential primary

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Against all expectations, Fillon seems well on the point of being nominated by his political family to lead the combat for the leadership of the French republic next May.

Speaking on Tuesday to lawmakers supporting him, Fillon retorted: “After calling me an ultra-liberal, I am now billed as a medieval reactionary”.

So what’s the vote for?

Mr Fillon, who is personally opposed to abortion but against revisiting its legal status, reacted with fury, saying: “I would never have thought my friend could stoop so low”. Until then, he’s an unknown quantity in a time of uncertainty, and Europe will be watching France with baited breath.

What are the Les Republicains Primaries?

At the time of the return to politics of her husband, she had indicated that she would support whatever happens if he made a decision to run for president of the Republic, while admitting that on a personal level, it was rather against.

The remarks appealed to the base of the Republicans party but alienated the moderate right and centre while appalling the left.

Anyone on the electoral register can vote in any of the primaries. A man places a two-euro coin into a box (top right) at a polling station in Mulhouse.

On Sunday night he declared his programme was one of “hope” and “strong change”.

Who were the main candidates and what was the big upset?

Sarkozy, 61, Fillon, 62, and Alain Juppe, 72, had been expected lead the balloting. But they were wrong.

The most centrist of the seven contenders in the primaries, Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet, who was fighting Mr Le Maire for the fourth spot, threw her weight behind the 71-year-old Mr Juppe.

“This first round was a surprise”, Mr Juppe said after it became clear he had come only second. And the shock: Mr Sarkozy is out; his political career is now over. His rival candidate for the runoff has made much of this.

In France, Sarkozy hopes to pull votes from people attracted to Le Pen.

France would then be set for a right versus far-right race and – given the surprises held in the Brexit and Trump votes – pollsters will be reticent about calling a victor.

Fillon, an open admirer of right-wing Thatcherite economics, proposes cutting half a million public sector jobs to rein in government expenditure and wants less power for European Union institutions.

At a news conference at his headquarters, legislators in a “Women with Fillon” support group took to the stage to say how “shameful” and divisive they considered Juppe’s comments to be. But, he said, if she goes up against Mr Fillon, her chances of winning jump to 35%.

The ruling Socialists and their allies will hold their own primaries in January.

The case is one of several investigations to dog Sarkozy since he left office in 2012, losing to the Socialist Francois Hollande following what was dubbed a “bling-bling” presidency because of his flashy lifestyle.

With the French Socialists now in disarray thanks to the rock-bottom popularity ratings of current French President Francois Hollande, the victor next year is likely to be the main challenger to Marine Le Pen, leader of the far-right National Front.

The political landscape of France has been upended, the tables have been turned.