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Europe

French presidency: Green candidate bows out, joins Socialist

Associated Press
Published | Updated
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    Candidate for the French left's presidential, Benoit Hamon delivers a speech during a meeting in Arras, Northern France, Thursday, Feb. 23, 2017. With French President Francois Hollande having abandoned hopes of a second five-year term, Hamon will be the Socialist Party candidate in France's upcoming presidential election. (AP Photo/Michel Spingler) (The Associated Press)

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    Candidate for the French left's presidential, Benoit Hamon delivers a speech during a meeting in Arras, Northern France, Thursday, Feb. 23, 2017. With French President Francois Hollande having abandoned hopes of a second five-year term, Hamon will be the Socialist Party candidate in France's upcoming presidential election. (AP Photo/Michel Spingler) (The Associated Press)

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    Image 3 of 3

    Candidate for the French left's presidential, Benoit Hamon reacts during a meeting in Arras, Northern France, Thursday, Feb. 23, 2017. With French President Francois Hollande having abandoned hopes of a second five-year term, Hamon will be the Socialist Party candidate in France's upcoming presidential election. (AP Photo/Michel Spingler) (The Associated Press)

PARIS – The French environmental party's presidential candidate is giving up his bid and joining the campaign of Socialist Benoit Hamon, in hopes of boosting the floundering left's chances of keeping the Elysee Palace.

Yannick Jadot made the announcement on France-2 television after meetings with Hamon in northern France Thursday. While polls showed Jadot with minimal support, the move was a welcome sign for the divided French left.

Jadot's Europe Ecology party split with President Francois Hollande's Socialist government, but sees Hamon as less beholden to industry and more committed to reducing France's reliance on nuclear power.

Hamon, a stalwart leftist who pledges a universal income to all citizens, faces his biggest challenge from far left candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon. Melenchon called Thursday for a meeting with Hamon, though neither has shown much appetite for joining forces.