French PM Valls to announce for presidency

 
French Prime Minister Manuel Valls is set to announce he will run for president in next year's election.

Valls' office issued a statement that he would make a declaration later on Monday, but it gave no further details.
Valls' expected announcement follows a primary ballot in which Francois Fillon, a 62-year-old former prime minister, secured a resounding win to become the presidential candidate of the centre-right Les Republicains party.
France's presidential election takes place in two rounds next April and May.
The ruling Socialists, now behind Les Republicains and the far-right National Front parties in opinion polls, are organising a primary in January to pick their candidate.