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| Sarkozy takes French presidency | Sarkozy takes French presidency |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Conservative Nicolas Sarkozy has won the hotly-contested French presidential election, according to projections made from partial results. | |
| Mr Sarkozy is estimated to have won 53% of the vote, compared with 47% for socialist Segolene Royal. | Mr Sarkozy is estimated to have won 53% of the vote, compared with 47% for socialist Segolene Royal. |
| The turnout was the highest for more than two decades, at about 85%. | |
| 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. | 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. |
| Friendship for US | |
| Thousands of his supporters in the Place de la Concorde burst into applause and wild cheering as the result came through. | |
| France has given me everything, and now it is my turn to render to France what France has given me Nicolas Sarkozy | |
| In his victory speech, Mr Sarkozy said he would be the president of all the French. | |
| "I love France. I love France, just as one loves someone who is very close to one," he told crowds of cheering supporters. | |
| "France has given me everything, and now it is my turn to render to France what France has given me." | "France has given me everything, and now it is my turn to render to France what France has given me." |
| Mr Sarkozy said the US could count on France's friendship, but called on Washington should take a lead in the fight against climate change. | |
| He also said be believed deeply in European integration, but appealed to France's European partners to understand the importance of social protection. | |
| After he finished speaking, his jubilant supporters at his party headquarters in Paris sang a rousing rendition of the French national anthem. | |
| 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. |
| 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 - 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 efforts, and will continue," she told supporters. "Something has risen up that will not stop." | "I gave it all my efforts, and will continue," she told supporters. "Something has risen up that will not stop." |
| 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 Many immigrants in my office are wearing Sarko badges John, France 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. |
| 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. |