Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy has been knocked out of a primary to choose the presidential candidate of the centre-right Republican Party.<br /><br /> The two men who will face each other in a run-off next Sunday are both former prime ministers Francois Fillon and Alan Juppe.<br /><br /> Admitting defeat Sarkozy said he would be supporting moderate Fillon and implied he was retiring from politics.<br /><br /> “It is now time for me to approach a life with more private passion and less public passion. Good luck to France,” he told his supporters.<br /><br /> Je souhaite le meilleur pour mon pays et pour celui qui aura à conduire la France que j'aime tant – NS pic.twitter.com/xNYy61YUVV— Nicolas Sarkozy (@NicolasSarkozy) November 20, 2016<br /> <br /><br /> Francois Fillion has surprised many by winning the first round with 44% of the vote. Until a week ago the social conservative with economically liberal ideas had not even been expected to make it through to the second round.<br /><br /> The candidate who had been favourite, conservative moderate Alain Juppe, goes through in second place with just over 28 %. <br /><br /> Next week’s winner will compete in the 2017 presidential election. With France’s socialists unpopular a face-off against far-right leader Marine Le Pen is on the cards..<br />
