31.   A third ecologist candidate on Sunday joined the race for the French presidency this spring, officials said.

32.   Both Jospin -- the prime minister -- and President Jacques Chirac are the two leading contenders for the French presidency.

33.   But the failure to reach an agreement in principle here on a compromise proposal put forward by the French presidency cast doubt on whether that would happen.

34.   Chirac beat socialist Lionel Jospin in elections for the French presidency Sunday.

35.   Chirac is likely to be one of the two main rightwing candidates in the race for the French presidency in two-round ballots in April and May.

36.   Chirac, who has twice before run for the French presidency and lost, formally declared his candidacy in November but has been largely shadow-boxing since then.

37.   Chirac has twice before run for the French presidency, but was beaten both times by Mitterrand.

38.   Delors was at one stage the poll favourite for the French presidency before he devastated the French left by declaring in December that he would not run.

39.   Delors is being pressed by French socialists to run for the French presidency in May next year.

40.   Delors, who steps down as commission president at the end of the year, has not yet declared an interest in running for the French presidency.