PARIS, April 21 (Xinhua) -- Centrist presidential candidate Francois Bayrou is third in opinion polls behind Nicolas Sarkozy and Segolene Royal. But he has the chance of upsetting a "Sarko-Sego" scenario in the run-off.

    Bayrou was born on May 25, 1951 in France and dubs himself as a farmer.

    Bayrou studied literature at university and authored over a dozen books on politics and history.

    He has been president of the center-right Union for French Democracy since 1998. Bayrou is a critic of Sarkozy's ruling Union for a Popular Movement and also claims himself of being a leftist.

    He served as education minister between 1993 and 1997.

    He favors cut in public deficit rather than tax cuts and is tough on illegal immigration. His call for France to boycott the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing drew widespread criticism both at home and abroad.

    Bayrou is married and has six children.