France’s conservative party chooses presidential candidate

PARIS (AP) – Members of France’s main conservative party are choosing their presidential candidate, a decision that could dramatically shape April’s elections. The head of the Paris region, Valérie Pécresse, and a hardline lawmaker from Nice, Eric Ciotti, are competing in the final round of the Republican primaries. Approximately 140,000 registered Republican members are eligible to participate in electronic voting. Results will be announced late Saturday. Immigration and security emerged as top issues in the party’s primaries largely due to another presidential candidate. Former far-right television pundit Eric Zemmour officially announced his candidacy this week in a video relaying anti-migrant, anti-Muslim imagery.