On foreign policy, he has expressed his Russia-related stance, calling on Paris and Moscow to "sit down around the same table" to enhance bilateral ties and help to end war in Syria and Iraq.

Admitting his defeat, Juppe, 71, who had long been the polls' favorite, "congratulate Francois Fillon for his great victory."

"I support him and I wish him good luck for his presidential campaign and the victory in May," he told supporters after results were released.

His concession means the U.S.-style primary, the first ever held by French conservatives, had chosen Fillon to be the center-right's favorite to challenge the Socialist ruling party and to challenge a risk of mounting populism echoed by the far-right National Front party.

According to the center-right authority, turnout of the Sunday's runoff reached more than 2.9 million, 4.5 percent more than the first round and far beyond the party's previous expectation of two million.

【国际英语资讯:Fillon wins Frances conservative primary for 2017 presidential election】相关文章：

★ 护照地图引燃中印领土矛盾

★ 双语阅读：不当办公室里的“困兽”

★ 朱莉安摩尔半裸出镜 拍限量版挂历照

★ 美国逼近财政悬崖

★ 马里布海滩现代豪宅低价出售

★ 沙特力争提高欧佩克石油产量上限

★ 《暮光4（下）》再度蝉联北美周末票房榜

★ 美国校车的服务：父母可实时监控（双语）

★ 默克尔率团访华 经济关系乃重中之重

★ 小贝一家健身狂 贝嫂热衷深夜跑步