Former French Prime Minister Manuel Valls lost to ex-Education Minister Benoit Hamon in the Socialist Party's (PS) second round of the presidential primaries with 41 percent of the votes against Hamon's 59 percent, Thomas Clay, the head of the committee responsible for the primaries, said Sunday, Sputnik reported.
"The results are as follows: Benoit Hamon — 58.65 percent, Manuel Valls — 41.35 percent," Clay said, noting that the data from 60 percent of the voting stations had been counted.
Valls admitted defeat and called Hamon to congratulate him on the victory.
"I would like to congratulate Benoit Hamon. I called him a few moments ago… In the near future we will meet at Rue de Solferino [PS headquarters]," Valls said.
He added that Hamon's task was now to reunite the socialists.