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French President: No Run for Second Term

by VOA News

   French President Francois Hollande has announced he does not plan to
   run for a second term, which would make him the first French incumbent
   in years to step down without running for re-election.

   Hollande announced his intention Thursday in a televised address,
   saying he does not have sufficient support to win a second term.
   Hollande has the lowest approval ratings of any French president on
   record.

   His announcement caps off weeks of speculation about whether the
   socialist leader would risk running for re-election with such a slim
   chance of success.

   Hollande's time in office has been marred by some of the worst
   terrorist attacks on French soil in modern history, as well as
   unsuccessful attempts to significantly reduce the unemployment rate.