Nicolas Sarkozy, France's interior minister, will undoubtedly become the candidate of the French right for the presidency. He will take on Segolene Royal, the Socialist candidate.

An excerpt of a BBC story explaining his popularity:

Love him or hate him, though, the UMP leader undoubtedly has star quality, the charisma that only power brings, and the successful leader's ability to make those he talks to feel special, if only for a moment.

It was a quality much on display as the party leader signed copies of his book "Testimony" which is part biography, part manifesto.

As he tirelessly dedicated copy after copy to young François or Amélie, hundreds of young French conservatives waited abuzz with excitement, as teenagers might at a rock concert.

One young man ran up to me still shaking, ecstatically clutching his signed copy.

"Did you see? He shook my hand! He talked to me! He's amazing. Only he can save France."

Sarkozy was also the leader who helpfully called the 2005 rioters racaille, or rabble, thus lowering the temperature.

Here's an earlier BBC profile. And here's a BBC profile of Segolene Royal.