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French premier steps down to focus on presidential election

French Prime Minister Manuel Valls blows a kiss to the audience after announcing his candidacy for the Socialist primary next month, in Evry, outside Paris, Monday Dec. 5, 2016. Valls hopes to unite the Socialists under his banner and give the left a chance to stay at the Elysee, in the most ambitious challenge of his political life after president Francois Hollande decided not to run for re-election next year. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
French Prime Minister Manuel Valls blows a kiss to the audience after announcing his candidacy for the Socialist primary next month, in Evry, outside Paris, Monday Dec. 5, 2016. Valls hopes to unite the Socialists under his banner and give the left a chance to stay at the Elysee, in the most ambitious challenge of his political life after president Francois Hollande decided not to run for re-election next year. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus) French Prime Minister Manuel Valls blows a kiss to the audience after announcing his candidacy for the Socialist primary next month, in Evry, outside Paris, Monday Dec. 5, 2016. Valls hopes to unite the Socialists under his banner and give the left a chance to stay at the Elysee, in the most ambitious challenge of his political life after president Francois Hollande decided not to run for re-election next year. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

By Associated Press 1 min read

PARIS (AP) – French Prime Minister Manuel Valls has stepped down to focus on running for president in next year’s election and has been replaced by Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve.

Valls resigned Tuesday, a day after announcing his candidacy after President Francois Hollande decided not to run for a second term last week.

Valls hopes to unite Socialists and give the left a chance to stay at the Elysee Palace despite current opinion polls suggesting the second round of the election could pit Marine Le Pen, the leader of the far-right National Front, against conservative Francois Fillon.

The 53-year-old Cazeneuve is a close ally of Hollande and became a popular figure in French politics over the past two years as the champion of the fight against Islamic extremism in his interior minister role.