![Jean-Francois Cope, outgoing leader of France's centre-right UMP political party, appears on the set of TF1 television ahead of the evening news programme at their studios in Boulogne-Billancourt, near Paris, May 27, Jean-Francois Cope, outgoing leader of France's centre-right UMP political party, appears on the set of TF1 television ahead of the evening news programme at their studios in Boulogne-Billancourt, near Paris, May 27,](https://c8.alamy.com/comp/2CXTK75/jean-francois-cope-outgoing-leader-of-frances-centre-right-ump-political-party-appears-on-the-set-of-tf1-television-ahead-of-the-evening-news-programme-at-their-studios-in-boulogne-billancourt-near-paris-may-27-2014-cope-head-of-frances-main-opposition-ump-party-agreed-on-tuesday-to-step-down-amid-allegations-of-party-funding-fraud-party-officials-said-triggering-a-race-to-secure-the-conservative-partys-ticket-for-the-2017-presidential-election-reuterspierre-andrieupool-france-tags-politics-2CXTK75.jpg)
Jean-Francois Cope, outgoing leader of France's centre-right UMP political party, appears on the set of TF1 television ahead of the evening news programme at their studios in Boulogne-Billancourt, near Paris, May 27,
![Jean-Francois Cope leaves an UMP Meeting at National Assembly in Paris, France on June 26, 2012. Photo by Mousse/ABACAPRESS.COM Stock Photo - Alamy Jean-Francois Cope leaves an UMP Meeting at National Assembly in Paris, France on June 26, 2012. Photo by Mousse/ABACAPRESS.COM Stock Photo - Alamy](https://c8.alamy.com/comp/2E0GF8N/jean-francois-cope-leaves-an-ump-meeting-at-national-assembly-in-paris-france-on-june-26-2012-photo-by-mousseabacapresscom-2E0GF8N.jpg)
Jean-Francois Cope leaves an UMP Meeting at National Assembly in Paris, France on June 26, 2012. Photo by Mousse/ABACAPRESS.COM Stock Photo - Alamy
![JEAN FRANCOIS COPE, MP AND MAYOR OF MEAUX, SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE UMP, 96TH CONGRESS OF MAYORS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS OF FRANCE, PARIS (75 Stock Photo - Alamy JEAN FRANCOIS COPE, MP AND MAYOR OF MEAUX, SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE UMP, 96TH CONGRESS OF MAYORS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS OF FRANCE, PARIS (75 Stock Photo - Alamy](https://c8.alamy.com/comp/DNJY2E/jean-francois-cope-mp-and-mayor-of-meaux-secretary-general-of-the-DNJY2E.jpg)
JEAN FRANCOIS COPE, MP AND MAYOR OF MEAUX, SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE UMP, 96TH CONGRESS OF MAYORS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS OF FRANCE, PARIS (75 Stock Photo - Alamy
![Rightwing rivals both declare victory as battle to succeed Sarkozy turns nasty | France | The Guardian Rightwing rivals both declare victory as battle to succeed Sarkozy turns nasty | France | The Guardian](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/static/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2012/11/19/1353285705415/Rightwing-rivals-both-dec-008.jpg?width=1200&height=630&quality=85&auto=format&fit=crop&overlay-align=bottom%2Cleft&overlay-width=100p&overlay-base64=L2ltZy9zdGF0aWMvb3ZlcmxheXMvdGctYWdlLTIwMTIucG5n&enable=upscale&s=ff47269e4a883a76720fd9f199e5d931)
Rightwing rivals both declare victory as battle to succeed Sarkozy turns nasty | France | The Guardian
![Nicolas Sarkozy, Nadine Morano, Jean-Francois Cope - Nadine Morano and Jean-Francois Cope Photos - Zimbio Nicolas Sarkozy, Nadine Morano, Jean-Francois Cope - Nadine Morano and Jean-Francois Cope Photos - Zimbio](https://www3.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Extraodinaty+Meeting+UMP+right+wing+Opposition+1Dq4wM2VdOlx.jpg)
Nicolas Sarkozy, Nadine Morano, Jean-Francois Cope - Nadine Morano and Jean-Francois Cope Photos - Zimbio
![Newly-elected president of the right-wing UMP opposition party, Jean-Francois Cope, gives a press conference at the UMP's headquarters in Paris, France, on November 21, 2012. Former French prime minister Francois Fillon, who Newly-elected president of the right-wing UMP opposition party, Jean-Francois Cope, gives a press conference at the UMP's headquarters in Paris, France, on November 21, 2012. Former French prime minister Francois Fillon, who](https://c8.alamy.com/comp/2E0WE2R/newly-elected-president-of-the-right-wing-ump-opposition-party-jean-francois-cope-gives-a-press-conference-at-the-umps-headquarters-in-paris-france-on-november-21-2012-former-french-prime-minister-francois-fillon-who-lost-by-just-98-votes-to-nicolas-sarkozys-close-ally-jean-francois-cope-in-sundays-vote-said-the-count-did-not-include-ballots-cast-in-some-of-frances-overseas-territories-which-would-have-handed-him-victory-cope-a-fiery-and-famously-ambitious-right-winger-known-for-flirting-with-the-far-right-rejected-any-talk-of-overturning-the-results-and-called-for-the-party-to-2E0WE2R.jpg)
Newly-elected president of the right-wing UMP opposition party, Jean-Francois Cope, gives a press conference at the UMP's headquarters in Paris, France, on November 21, 2012. Former French prime minister Francois Fillon, who
![Paris, Frankreich Parteitag der UMP L R JEAN FRANCOIS COPE (Praesident UMP), BRUNO VANRYB und MAXIME Paris, Frankreich Parteitag der UMP L R JEAN FRANCOIS COPE (Praesident UMP), BRUNO VANRYB und MAXIME](https://www.imago-images.com/bild/st/0055554426/w.jpg)