French Prime Minister Manuel Valls has announced that he plans to stand in next year's presidential election.

Mr Valls said he would stand down from his current role on Tuesday in order to concentrate on his bid to succeed fellow Socialist Francois Hollande.

Mr Hollande announced he will not seek a second term in office on Thursday, becoming the first French president not to stand for re-election since 1958.

Hollande will not stand for re-election

Announcing his candidacy in Paris, Mr Valls said: "I want to give everything for France."

He added: "My candidacy is one of conciliation, of reconciliation. I have a responsibility today to unite."


Mr Valls, 54, will face former economy minister Arnaud Montebourg and former education minister Benoit Hamon in January's Socialist primary.

He is considered as the favourite in the contest, but polls suggest he would finish behind Marine Le Pen and Francois Fillon in the first round of the presidential election in April.

After defeating Alain Juppé to become the Les Republicains presidential nominee last week, Mr Fillon pledged to change France's "software".

Fillon takes swipe at Hollande in victory speech

Meanwhile, Ms Le Pen will be seeking to build on anti-immigrant, anti-Muslim and anti-establishment feeling in France to sweep her to power.

The National Front leader has promised to lower the retirement age and guarantee France's welfare safety net.

Ms Le Pen's father, Jean-Marie, pulled off a political upset by defeating Socialist candidate Lionel Jospin for a place in the 2002 presidential run-off, but he was beaten in a landslide by Jacques Chirac.

Mr Valls warned against a repeat of history, adding that Ms Le Pen's policies would "ruin the working class".