PARIS, Jan 22 (Reuters) - Nature television star Nicolas Hulot announced on Monday he would not run for the French presidency after leading candidates signed up to his ecological charter to make the environment a priority.

Hulot, 51, is a presenter of nature programmes and opinion polls predicted he could have taken around 10 percent of votes, winning support from all sides but hurting Socialist Segolene Royal slightly more than conservative Nicolas Sarkozy.

"I have decided not to be a candidate in the presidential election," Hulot told a news conference that was broadcast live on French television.

Frontrunners Royal and Sarkozy have signed his ecological pact pledging to make the environment a priority but have not backed all his proposals, such as a imposing a steadily increasing carbon tax on polluters.

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