Sarkozy and Royal prepare for presidential run-off[fr][de] 

Conservative candidate Nicolas Sarkozy confirmed his high poll ratings by winning 30.5% of votes in the first round of the elections, setting the scene for a 6 May run-off against Ségolène Royal, his Socialist opponent, who gained 25.7% of votes.

The results came as no surprise, confirming opinion polls published during the weeks before the election.

Voter turnout came out at close to 85%, the highest since the first presidential election of 1965, which marked the advent of post-war French politics. The previous election, in 2002, recorded an unprecedented 28% abstention rate, with voter apathy largely contributing to Jean-Marie Le Pen’s accession to the second round, which he lost to Jacques Chirac.

The far-right leader failed to repeat his 2002 score, obtaining only 11% of votes, down from 17% in 2002. The tally was largely the result of "tactical voting" sponsored by the Left to keep Le Pen away from the second round and avoid repeating the 2002 shock.

None of the other candidates, including the Greens and the Communists, made it past the 5% mark. Dispersion of votes on the Left was denounced as another reason for Le Pen’s accession to the final election run-off in 2002.

Much attention is now turning to François Bayrou, the centrist leader who emerged as the ‘third man’ with 18.6% of votes, a steep rise from his 2002 score of 6.8%. Polls cited by French national television on Sunday indicated that centrist voters are split on how to cast their ballots in the second round.

Speaking after the results were made public, both Nicolas Sarkozy and Ségolène Royal praised voters for the high turnout and called on the French to pull together behind their candidacy.

Sarkozy spoke of his "respect" for Royal and expressed his hope that a genuine "debate of ideas" takes place in the run-up to the second round on 6 May. "I will not change course," Sarkozy said, reiterating his earlier wish "to protect the French" against high unemployment, job delocalisation and "the deterioration of working conditions" while at the same time refusing to turn to "protectionism".

"I want to tell all the French who are in fear that I want to protect them," he said referring to workers, employees and farmers "who give a lot and never receive anything in return".

In her speech, Royal spoke of her "great responsibility: that of the fight for change so that France rises again, rediscovers its optimism and makes the choice of audacity and serenity".

"I refuse to cultivate fear," she said, without directly naming Sarkozy, adding that she would place the priority on education, the aged and families whose situation has "deteriorated". 

In a vein similar to Sarkozy, she said that she would ensure industries stay in France and rejected what she termed "unchecked liberalism" and "the power of money" concentrated in the hands of the few - "always the same ones".

Royal was the only of the two runners-up to mention European issues, saying that she would defend the place of France in Europe and the world. Speaking of a "socially and economically regenerated Europe in a multi-polar world", Royal reiterated her intention to hold a referendum on a new EU Treaty, following the rejection of the draft EU Constitution by French voters in 2005.

Centrist leader François Bayrou came out as a delighted 'third man' and tried to position himself and his party as a lasting new force in French politics, breaking away from classic Left-Right opposition: "Starting tonight, French politics have changed and it will never be like it was before."

He hinted that he would not forge an alliance with either Royal or Sarkozy, saying he wished the centre to be "independent". "I will put all my force into renovating French politics," he said. "I have renovated it yesterday, I will renovate it tomorrow," he added, as if he was already looking towards the next presidential election in 2012. "The new politics is being born and nobody will stop it."