Duo lined up for race to lead French Republicans

France's liberal-conservative party The Republicans has confirmed who the candidates for its leadership will be, and analysts say that whoever is eventually chosen as leader is likely to reshape the party's direction.

Bruno Retailleau, the minister of the interior, is seen as a rising figure with strong electoral appeal, and Laurent Wauquiez, a deputy in the National Assembly and president of the Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes region, is a more traditional voice trying to regain ground after years away from the spotlight.

"This is not just a leadership race but is also a referendum on what the French right wants to be," Sophie Langlois, a political analyst with France 5 TV, said on Sunday.