Fillon Shock Blows French Race Wide Open
- Former premier’s win could boost Macron, hurt far-right Le Pen
- Republicans to decide on nominee with final vote Sunday
Fillon Defeats Sarkozy in French Presidential Primary
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The surprise emergence of a Roman Catholic fan of Margaret Thatcher as the new favorite is shaking up analysts’ expectations for the French presidential election.
Before Francois Fillon, a 62-year-old former prime minister with a hard-line economic platform, pulled off a dominant victory in the first round of the Republican primary to become hot favorite for the party’s nomination, observers were prepared for two very different scenarios.