Pedestrians walk past posters of France's ruling Union for a Popular Movement (UMP) in Paris, capital of France on Jan. 14, 2007. Over 60,000 party members and supporters of Nicolas Sarkozy attended UMP congress on Sunday, to elect their candidate for the forthcoming French presidential election. (Xinhua Photo/Song Lidong) Photo Gallery >>>

PARIS, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- French Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy on Sunday was nominated as candidate of the ruling Union for a Popular Movement (UMP) in the presidential elections.

    In a speech before tens of thousands of supporters packed in the conference hall in Porte Versaille, south of Paris, Sarkozy promised to change the French society and urged the unity of his political family, saying "I want to be the president of a united France, which embodies audacity, intelligence and the creation."

    "I do not have the right to fail," said Sarkozy.

    Sarkozy, 51, was acclaimed by UMP congress after getting about 98 percent support of the 338,000 members.

    According to the latest opinion polls, Sarkozy is the only politician capable of beating Segolene Royal, the Socialist Party candidate who hopes to become France's first woman president.