France’s socialist prime minister, Manuel Valls, has declared he will be standing down in order to enter the battle to become the left’s candidate in next year’s presidential election, The Guardian reports.
"Yes, I am a candidate for the presidency. I have the force in me, the willingness to serve my country. It’s more than words; it’s a total conviction. I want to give everything to my country. The time has come to go further," he said.