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| Sarkozy takes French presidency | Sarkozy takes French presidency |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Conservative candidate Nicolas Sarkozy has won the hotly-contested French presidential election. | Conservative candidate Nicolas Sarkozy has won the hotly-contested French presidential election. |
| The final count gave Mr Sarkozy 53.06%, compared with 46.94% for socialist Segolene Royal, with turnout at 85%. | The final count gave Mr Sarkozy 53.06%, compared with 46.94% for socialist Segolene Royal, with turnout at 85%. |
| Mr Sarkozy, 52, the son of a Hungarian immigrant, takes over from the 74-year-old Jacques Chirac. | Mr Sarkozy, 52, the son of a Hungarian immigrant, takes over from the 74-year-old Jacques Chirac. |
| Riot police have fired tear gas at a small group of demonstrators who were protesting in central Paris against Mr Sarkozy's victory. | Riot police have fired tear gas at a small group of demonstrators who were protesting in central Paris against 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. | 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. |
| Friendship for US | Friendship for US |
| 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. | 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 give back 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. | 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. | "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. | He said the US could count on France's friendship, but urged Washington to take a lead in the fight against climate change. |
| He also said he believed deeply in European integration, but appealed to France's partners to understand the importance of social protection. | He also said he believed deeply in European integration, but appealed to France's partners to understand the importance of social protection. |
| "[Voters] have chosen to break with the habits and the ideals of the past so I will rehabilitate work, authority, morality, respect, merit!" he said. | "[Voters] have chosen to break with the habits and the ideals of the past so I will rehabilitate work, authority, morality, respect, merit!" he said. |
| After he finished speaking at his party headquarters, jubilant supporters sang a rousing rendition of the French national anthem. | After he finished speaking at his party headquarters, jubilant supporters sang a rousing rendition of the French national anthem. |
| Third defeat | Third defeat |
| 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. |
| Hope for renewal in defeat | Hope for renewal in defeat |
| Conceding defeat - the third in a row for France's Socialist Party - she thanked 17m French people for their votes, saying she could measure their sadness and their pain. | Conceding defeat - the third in a row for France's Socialist Party - she thanked 17m French people for their votes, saying she could measure their sadness and their pain. |
| "I gave it all my energy, and will continue," she told supporters. "Something has risen up that will not stop." | "I gave it all my energy, and will continue," she told supporters. "Something has risen up that will not stop." |
| She expressed the hope that "the next president of the Republic" would accomplish his mission at the service of all the French people. | She expressed the hope that "the next president of the Republic" would accomplish his mission at the service of all the French people. |
| 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. | 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. |
| He has pledged to bring unemployment down from 8.3% to below 5% by 2012. | He has pledged to bring unemployment down from 8.3% to below 5% by 2012. |
| Police deployed | Police deployed |
| He is also expected to bring forward policies to cut taxes and keep trains running during strikes, in the first 100 days after he takes office on 17 May. | He is also expected to bring forward policies to cut taxes and keep trains running during strikes, in the first 100 days after he takes office on 17 May. |
| HAVE YOUR SAY I'd like to say congratulations and good luck to President elect Sarkozy Eric Loadman, USA 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. | HAVE YOUR SAY I'd like to say congratulations and good luck to President elect Sarkozy Eric Loadman, USA 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 strong turnout as a victory for French democracy. | French pundits greeted the strong turnout as a victory for French democracy. |
| Both candidates worked hard to woo the supporters of the third-placed candidate in round one, centrist Francois Bayrou. | Both candidates worked hard to woo the supporters of the third-placed candidate in round one, centrist Francois Bayrou. |
| Polls suggest that they each won over 40% of the Bayrou voters, and that 20% did not cast a ballot in round two. | Polls suggest that they each won over 40% of the Bayrou voters, and that 20% did not cast a ballot in round two. |