Ousted from the government two years ago over his increasingly vocal criticism of Hollande, he will be joining an already crowded field jostling to replace the unpopular Socialist president in May 2017. “I shouldn’t be here proposing an alternative because that’s what we promised four years ago,” Montebourg told a rally of supporters in Burgundy on Sunday.
“But four years later we are left with a feeling of waste. Like for the majority of French people it is impossible to support the current president. I am candidate for the presidency.”
Urging Hollande not to run again, Montebourg said his project would include measures to end austerity while raising expenditure, reverse tax increases of the last five years, fight globalisation and restructure the EU which had “practically become a failed company”.
Hollande, whose approval ratings are the lowest of any French president in modern times, has said he will announce by the end of the year whether he will run again. Polls show he could still win the primary.
He has been struggling to contain an open rebellion within his party against economic reforms and some of the security measures taken in response to attacks by Islamist militants.
“We no longer need managers for the collapse of the country and the system,” said Montebourg, who came third in the 2011 primary winning about 17% of the vote.
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