France, local elections: left wons the first round

On march 9, in the first round of the municipal elections in France, the Socialist Party [PS]  gained ground mostly everywhere, specially  in  big cities like Paris, Lyon and Lille. While most voters choice was determined by local issues as maternity wards, garbage problems and public transport, the bad image of the President Nicolas Sarkozy is part of the fall.

Socialist leader François Hollande said the result of the local elections was a warning to President Sarkozy and his government.

The centrist MoDem party led by François Bayrou said he would not give any advice (conseil de vote) as to swing to the left or to the right; he could be the arbitrator of the second round of the local elections.