French President Francois Hollande is the "right candidate" to represent the Socialists in the upcoming presidential election, Prime Minister Manuel Valls said on Tuesday after prospects of a primary in the governing camp emerged.

"Francois Hollande is the right candidate. But it is too early for him to take such a decision [to run for office or not]," Valls told news channel BFMTV.

Traditionally, the incumbent head of state represents his party in an election, without a contest. But prospects of a primary have been raised due to Hollande's record low approval ratings.

The head of the governing Socialist Party, Jean-Christophe Cambadelis, last Friday asked if all Socialists supported the head of state's candidature for a second term.

"The problem is not whether Francois Hollande is a candidate or not, it is whether the leaders of the party are for him to be a candidate or not," Cambadelis told news channel iTele.

"They have to answer this question, because if they aren't, we must present a new candidate to the French people," he added.

Under fire for a poor economic record, Hollande said he would not seek a second term if he fails to lower a long-term rise in unemployment, currently at 10.2 percent, the highest level since 1997.

"I might be a candidate, I might not be a candidate. It's all about unemployment. I need to have results," he said in a recent interview.