The announcement Sunday night on French television adds a new twist to the campaign. The Socialists nominated their former leader Francois Hollande in October. President Nicolas Sarkozy has not yet declared but is sure to be the conservative UMP party’s candidate.

Now de Villepin — who is best known internationally for his impassioned 2003 United Nation speech against the United States’ invasion of Iraq — has thrown his hat into the ring.

In an interview with TF1 television, the conservative promised to be a candidate for all of the French, saying he didn’t think the “truth is on the right, on the left or in the center.”

The French will vote in April and May.