Nicolas Sarkozy Wins French Presidency; Celebrations and Demonstrations Begin

Riot police
have fired tear gas at demonstrators protesting in central Paris at Mr
Sarkozy's victory.

According to the French news agency AFP, a few hundred
stone-throwing rioters charged the police in the Place de la Bastille,
where 5,000 supporters of Segolene Royal had earlier gathered to hear
the results.

Mr Sarkozy's supporters have gathered for an open-air concert in the
Place de la Concorde, which is expected to continue until the early
hours.

 

France has given me everything, and now it is my turn to render to France what France has given me

Nicolas Sarkozy

Sarkozy victory speech

Washington relief at win

In his victory speech, Mr Sarkozy said he would be the president of all the French.

"France has given me everything, and now it is my turn to give back to France what France has given me," he said.

He said the US could count on France's friendship, but urged Washington to take a lead in the fight against climate change.

Conservative Nicolas Sarkozy was elected Sunday to a five-year term as France's president with 53 percent of the vote, polls for France's state-run network, France 2 said.

Socialist Segolene Royal, a 53-year-old mother of four, acknowledged her defeat in a speech to supporters moments after the polls closed at 8 p.m. (1800 GMT).

"Keep the faith, keep intact your enthusiasm," she said at her party's headquarters. "I will keep on fighting the fight that we have started today."

Turnout was predicted at about 85 percent.

Thousands of rightwing voters burst into applause and wild cheering after Sarkozy's victory was announced at the concert hall where he was due to make a speech.

Le candidat de l'UMP est élu
président de la République, selon la moyenne des estimations de quatre
instituts de sondages (Ifop, CSA, Ipsos, TNS-Sofres). Il bat Ségolène
Royal avec 53,1 % des voix, contre 46,9 % pour la candidate socialiste.
Les projections des instituts de sondage donnent un taux de
participation situé entre 84 et 86 %.

France is reporting record turnout as voters choose between socialist Segolene Royal and conservative Nicolas Sarkozy for their next president.

In a hotly contested poll, nearly 75% of voters had cast their ballots by late afternoon - the highest turnout at that point in more than 30 years.

The two rivals are bidding to succeed Jacques Chirac after 12 years.

Ms Royal has suggested a Sarkozy win might spark riots. Mr Sarkozy accused her of verbal violence.

Polls opened at 0800 (0600 GMT) for mainland France's 43.5 million voters and are due to close at 2000 (1800 GMT).