Sarkozy takes stock after French local elections

French President Nicolas Sarkozy's UMP party suffered a number of crushing defeats in the second round of local elections on Sunday which saw significant gains by the opposition Socialist Party and the far-right National Front, (FN), 

Reuters/Francois Lenoir

The Socialist Party took 36 per cent of the vote, the UMP, 20 per cent and the National Front, 12 per cent, although the voting was marred by a low turnout of just 46 per cent.

With 13 months to go the Presidential election, Socialist Party leader, Martine Aubry told euphoric supporters outside the party headquarters in Paris that the Socialists were determined to show that another France was possible. She also announced that it would unveil next week fresh plans to get the country back on its feet.

Former party leader, Francois Hollande, said the writing was on the wall for the French president and that the people of France want a new start.

Both Aubry and Hollande are seen as possible contenders for the Socialist Party candidacy for the presidency.

Following the results, UMP head Jean-Francois Cope, admitted that the party would have wished for better results, but he stressed that the left had not made the gains it had hoped for. Prime Minister Francois Fillon said the candidates of the right and the centre had resisted well.

The vote for the far-right National Front was up sharply from the first round score of 620,000 to more than 900.000 equal to 11.63 per cent of the vote. Athough it only won two seats.

Party leader Marine Le Pen, claimed the re-drawing of the political map in France was under way.

A poll for Les Echos newspaper published on Monday suggested that the FN had moved a step closer to being accepted as part of the political landscape. More than one person in two considered the FN should be considered as 'a party like the others'.