If Vincent Peillon becomes the next President of France, it will be an even bigger surprise than Donald Trump’s victory in America.

The former French education minister, whose mother is Jewish and who celebrated his son Elie’s barmitzvah in 2009, is bidding to be the Socialist Party’s candidate next spring.

Most pundits give the party, led by President Francois Hollande, little chance of even making the run-off in the presidential poll such is its current unpopularity.

Mr Veillon, who has been an MEP since resigning his ministry, will contest the socialist candidacy with Prime Minister Manuel Valls.

According to JTA, Mr Veillon signed a petition from the doveish Jewish group JCall supporting a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.