French firebrand politician Francois Fillon announced that he does not want the country to become multicultural. The conservative politician has also promised to introduce "radical changes" should he become the next president.

Fillon is being tipped to become France's next president should he emerge victorious against Alan Juppe in the Republican Party's presidential primary.

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When asked if he sees a future where the French society as multicultural, his response was an emphatic "no."

"France has a history, a language, a culture. Of course the culture and language has been enriched by the contribution of foreign populations, but it remains the foundation of our identity," he said.

The politician also scoffed at the suggestion that France is already multicultural, saying that the French did not make the choice of communitarianism and multiculturalism.

"When we go to someone's house, we don't try to take power," he added, saying that immigrants must respect France's cultural heritage and identity.

If he beats his rival in the nominatons, Fillon is widely tipped to become the next president.

Polls show that he would likely defeat far-right leader Marine Le-Pen in the elections next May.

Fillon was the surprise run-away winner in the first round of the contest last week and has declared his plans to reform a country that he believes is "on the verge of a revolt."

He wants to slash over half a million public sector jobs over a five-year period. He also plans to do away with the 35-hour working week, in efforts to give the sluggish French economy a new lease of life.

His economic ideas have been compared with those of the late British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, and he freely admits that his plans are radical and probably difficult to achieve.

His rival Juppe has jibed at Fillon's perceived closeness to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"This must be the first presidential election in which the Russian president chooses his candidate," Juppe said.

The pair developed a relationship when they were both Prime Ministers, and the Russian President has praised him as "a great professional" and a very "principled person."

TagsFrance, Marine Le Pen, Culture