The 54-year-old Montebourg’s politics are firmly left-leaning. He lost his cabinet position in 2014 because he denounced president Francois Hollande’s pro-business shift. Montebourg says he favors a strong state to protect France’s industry from “foreign interests.”
Another former economy minister of Hollande’s, centrist Emmanuel Macron also is seeing the presidency but without taking part into a primary. Macron advocates free market policies. Hollande must say whether he will stand for re-election before a December 15 deadline.
Ex-minister Montebourg launches Socialist bid for French presidency
02 December 2016
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Former French economy minister Arnaud Montebourg has formally entered the presidential race. Montebourg announced his candidacy Thursday in the presidential primary France’s Socialist party has scheduled for January.
