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| Sarkozy takes French presidency | |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Conservative Nicolas Sarkozy has won the French presidential election, according to projections made from partial results. | Conservative Nicolas Sarkozy has won the French presidential election, according to projections made from partial results. |
| Mr Sarkozy is estimated to have won 53% of the vote, compared to 47% for socialist Segolene Royal. | Mr Sarkozy is estimated to have won 53% of the vote, compared to 47% for socialist Segolene Royal. |
| The turnout was the highest in decades at 85.5%. | The turnout was the highest in decades at 85.5%. |
| Mr Sarkozy, 52, the son of a Hungarian immigrant, takes over from the 74-year-old Jacques Chirac, who has been in power for 12 years. | |
| Police deployed | Police deployed |
| Ms Royal is the first woman ever to have made it to the second round of a French presidential election. | Ms Royal is the first woman ever to have made it to the second round of a French presidential election. |
| href="/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/07/europe_french_voters/html/1.stm" onClick="window.open('http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/07/europe_french_voters/html/1.stm', '1178469712', 'toolbar=0,scrollbars=0,location=0,statusbar=0,menubar=0,resizable=1,width=500,height=400,left=312,top=100'); return false;">French voters discuss choices href="/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/07/europe_french_voters/html/1.stm" onClick="window.open('http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/07/europe_french_voters/html/1.stm', '1178469712', 'toolbar=0,scrollbars=0,location=0,statusbar=0,menubar=0,resizable=1,width=500,height=400,left=312,top=100'); return false;" >In pictures Conceding defeat, she thanked 17m French people for their votes, saying she could measure their sadness and their pain. | |
| "I gave it all my efforts, and will continue," she told supporters. "Something has risen up that will not stop." | |
| Thousands of Mr Sarkozy's supporters burst into applause and wild cheering at the concert hall where he is expected to make a speech. | Thousands of Mr Sarkozy's supporters burst into applause and wild cheering at the concert hall where he is expected to make a speech. |
| He drove through Paris in a limousine waving to the crowds, as he made his way to the hall. | |
| Challenges | |
| Mr Sarkozy has promised to try to reform France to face the challenges of the 21st century, with putting the nation back to work at the top of his agenda. | |
| HAVE YOUR SAY Many immigrants in my office are wearing Sarko badges John, France Send us your comments Royal v Sarkozy: Policies But the BBC's Caroline Wyatt in Paris says he will have to work hard to unite the French, and try to win round those who voted against him. | |
| More than 3,000 police have been deployed in Paris and its multi-ethnic suburbs in case Mr Sarkozy's victory sparks a repeat of the riots seen in 2005. | More than 3,000 police have been deployed in Paris and its multi-ethnic suburbs in case Mr Sarkozy's victory sparks a repeat of the riots seen in 2005. |
| French pundits greeted the record turnout as a victory for French democracy. | French pundits greeted the record turnout as a victory for French democracy. |