Ex-French minister Macron to run for 2017 presidential election : report

Emmanuel Macron, former French Economy Minister, leaves after a news conference in Paris, France, October 26, 2016. [Photo/Agencies]

PARIS - France's former economy minister Emmanuel Macron will announce on Wednesday his candidacy for the upcoming presidential election, news channel BFMTV reported on Tuesday.

Macron, 38, will hold a news conference Wednesday morning at a training centre in the city of Bobigny, to launch his presidential bid, according to the report.

The former investment banker joined the Socialist government in August 2014 to replace ousted economy minister Arnaud Montebourg. Two years after, he quit his post to focus on his political career.

He disclosed his political ambition after creating his own political movement "En Marche" (On the Move) , vowing to lead the movement "to 2017 and to victory".

A recent Elabe survey showed that Macron would garner 27 percent of votes in the first round of election, outpacing President Francois Hollande who is expected to collect just 12 percent of the votes.