Former French President Nicolas Sarkózy will run for next year's presidential election, it has been announced.

Sarkózy, 61, lost the 2012 election to the current President Francois Hollande.

Writing on his Facebook page on Monday, Mr Sarkózy said: "I have decided to be a candidate for the 2017 presidential election.

"I felt I had the strength to lead this battle at a troubled time in our history."