Nicolas Sarkozy

Macron is trailing his predecessor by 1 percentage point, and he went on to be named France's least popular leader in recent history.

Sarkozy could face a one-year prison sentence if convicted.

The economic liberal could be France's next president but he's likely to face the National Front's Marine Le Pen.

A runoff is expected between Francois Fillon and Alain Juppe for the right to face the National Front's Marine Le Pen in the presidential election in 2017.

Alain Juppe is the favorite, with former president Nicolas Sarkozy and Francois Fillon also vying to face National Front leader Marine Le Pen.

Socialist incumbent president is expected to declare whether he will stand by December.

The French presidential hopeful is accused of 'knowingly underestimating' elements of his campaign financing in failed 2012 bid.

Former president says Les Republicains must unite behind the winner of the primary for France's presidential contest.

Alain Juppe and Nicolas Sarkozy are the leading contenders for the Les Republicains' nomination for president.

Nicolas Sarkozy said on Thursday he would impose a nationwide ban on burkinis if elected back to the presidency in 2017.

The ex-French president wants radicalization suspects to be expelled from the country.

Former president Nicolas Sarkozy has crept back into contention to become the conservative candidate in France's 2017 presidential election

Former president could face Marine Le Pen and Francois Hollande in 2017 if right-leaning parties embrace his candidacy.

The probe relates to the financing of Sarkozy's 2012 election campaign.

The right-winger's Republican primary entry could see Sarkozy lose the presidential nomination.

Despite its impressive showing, the FN will not be able to be much more than a noisy nuisance.

The president of a leading French Muslim group said that imams must respect the laws of the country

Former French president signs 22,000-strong petition against converting churches into mosques.

Six former officials in Sarkozy's presidential administration have been linked to a polling scandal

The house voted in favour of reinstating fines and prison sentences for sex workers.

Francois Hollande's Socialist party set to lose half its departments as ex-president calls for change.

French security experts cite a lack of manpower for failings in the run up to this week's attacks

This week's murders at the French satirical magazine will feed extremists on all sides.

Sarkozy knows only a landslide win will deter party rivals from challenging him for the presidential ticket

The Front National leader was overwhelmingly shown to be the most popular candidate for the French presidential elections, ahead of Hollande and Sarkozy

The teenage sons of Nicolas Sarkozy and Francois Hollande's former companion Valerie Trierweiler have been involved in a four-month long Twitter feud