France's UMP rivals agree on new leadership vote

PARIS - France 24

A combination made on July 1, 2012 shows a file picture taken on March 13, 2012 of French Union for a Popular Movement (UMP) right-wing party's general secretary Jean-Francois Cope (L), and a file picture taken on May 1, 2008 of UMP former Prime minister François Fillon. AFP photo

UMP rivals François Fillon and Jean-François Copé (pictured) appeared to agree Sunday on the date for a fresh leadership vote next September in a bid to heal the bruising divide within France’s right-wing opposition party.

The UMP, France’s divided and badly bruised right-wing opposition party, inched towards healing the rift within its ranks Sunday when two rival leaders appeared to agree on a new leadership vote next September.

More than seven months after former President Nicolas Sarkozy’s election defeat, his party has been on the verge of collapse over a bitter leadership dispute between Jean-Francois Copé and former French Prime Minister François Fillon.

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