Angela Merkel is running again for the fourth time at the helm of Germany while in France former president Nicolas Sarkozy loses the centre-right primaries and withdraws from the race for the Elysée.
"This election will be more difficult than ever before, at least since German reunification," said Merkel announcing her new candidacy for the Chancellery after 11 years in government. And she added: "My goal is to keep society together and to ward off the hatred" triggered by populism.
Polls are in favor of Merkel ahead of the September elections: 55% of voters are with her, more than one voter out of two.
In France, on the other hand, former president Nicolas Sarkozy leaves the scene after losing the primaries of the center-right which see former prime minister François Fillon in the lead over the mayor of Bordeaux Alain Juppé. Next Sunday Fillon and Juppé will contest the candidacy for the Elysée in the second round. Sarkozy acknowledged this by commenting: "It's time to start a new life with more private and less public passions: I will vote for Fillon"
