Delors Declines to Seek French Presidency : Europe: Outgoing EU official was most popular potential candidate on the left. Decision paves way for a contentious battle between conservatives.

Despite polls showing him the clear favorite for the French presidency, Jacques Delors stunned the nation Sunday night by announcing that he will not run to succeed retiring President Francois Mitterrand in elections next year.

The decision by Delors--the 69-year-old president of the European Union Executive Commission and, like Mitterrand, a Socialist--took the most popular potential candidate on the left out of the running.

It also set the stage for a nasty fight between two conservative contenders, Prime Minister Edouard Balladur and Paris Mayor Jacques Chirac, both members of the Rally for the Republic party. The two longtime friends are not on speaking terms these days.

Delors’ announcement, made nearly 45 minutes into a live interview on France’s most popular current affairs program, ended a months-long Socialist Party effort to draft him for the April elections. It was a campaign that Delors, who will step down next month as EU leader, had not discouraged.

“It wasn’t an easy decision to take,” Delors said, and he cited “lots of personal reasons.”

“I’ve worked for 50 years, and in these conditions it’s more reasonable to envisage a lifestyle more balanced between reflection and action,” he said. His wife was known to be lobbying against a presidential try.

Delors, often called “Mr. Europe,” is widely respected on the Continent. During his 10 years as head of the EU’s Executive Commission, internal trade barriers in Western Europe have been significantly lowered and the region has made important strides toward political and economic unity.

Other, more practical political considerations also played a role in his decision. As a Socialist president with a right-wing National Assembly, he would have had his ability to lead the country severely restricted. And he acknowledged Sunday that even if he dissolved the Assembly, new elections probably would result in another strong rightist majority.

Now the seat held for 13 1/2 years by Mitterrand, who is 78 and has prostate cancer, is almost certain to go to someone on the right.

Chirac already has announced his intention to run. Although Balladur has not formally declared himself a candidate, he leads Chirac in the polls and is expected to announce soon. Other right-wing candidates might also be drawn into the race.

The first round of elections is scheduled for April 23, with the two top finishers squaring off May 7.

The battle between Chirac and Balladur has fascinated French voters and sharply divided the right-wing coalition that swept to power in the National Assembly during a decisive victory in 1993.

When the right took power, Chirac and other party leaders settled on Balladur, a little-known moderate, to keep the prime minister’s seat warm until the presidential elections. Chirac has said there was a gentleman’s agreement that Balladur would then step aside for his friend.

But Balladur turned out to be a popular prime minister in his own right, earning a reputation as a thoughtful, soft-spoken leader willing to listen to his critics. Until talk of a Delors candidacy surfaced, he held a strong lead in most polls.

On the other hand, Chirac, a former prime minister, is saddled with an Old Guard image at a time when French voters are seeking new leaders. And his bombastic style is likely to hurt him against the even-tempered Balladur.

Socialist Party leaders said Sunday that they will choose their candidate next month. Among those mentioned as possible candidates are Lionel Jospin, a former eduction minister, and Jack Lang, a former culture minister.