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Sarkozy wins 'mandate for reform' Sarkozy wins 'mandate for reform'
(30 minutes later)
French President Nicolas Sarkozy's UMP party says it will press ahead with wide-ranging reforms, after winning a majority in parliamentary elections.French President Nicolas Sarkozy's UMP party says it will press ahead with wide-ranging reforms, after winning a majority in parliamentary elections.
Although the centre-right UMP failed to secure a predicted landslide, it said it had a mandate to implement change.Although the centre-right UMP failed to secure a predicted landslide, it said it had a mandate to implement change.
Its plans include tighter immigration laws, tax cuts and longer jail terms.Its plans include tighter immigration laws, tax cuts and longer jail terms.
The Socialists did better than expected and their former presidential candidate, Segolene Royal, announced she would seek to become party leader. In a surprise move, former Socialist presidential candidate Segolene Royal announced her split from her partner, party leader Francois Hollande.
In a surprise statement, Ms Royal also said that she was splitting from her partner of 25 years, current Socialist Party leader Francois Hollande. Ms Royal announced the breakdown of their 25-year relationship in an interview on French radio.
The defeated presidential candidate said in a book to be published this week that her partner was having an affair. They have four children together. "All couples have their difficulties, and we have had ours. And now we are moving on to a new phase," she said. The two have four children together.
"I have asked Francois Hollande to leave our home, to pursue his love interest which is now laid out in books and newspapers and I wish him happiness," she said in an interview ahead of the book's release on Wednesday. The revelations are expanded on in a book to be published by Ms Royal this week, in which she says Mr Hollande was having an affair and that she had asked him to leave their home.
In the book, Ms Royal also says she plans to stand for the Socialist Party leadership in 2008 when Mr Hollande's mandate ends.
Smaller majoritySmaller majority
President Sarkozy's party fell far short of the landslide win predicted for it in the second-round vote.President Sarkozy's party fell far short of the landslide win predicted for it in the second-round vote.
The UMP won 314 seats in the 577-member assembly, while the Socialists won 185. Voter turnout was low, at about 60%.The UMP won 314 seats in the 577-member assembly, while the Socialists won 185. Voter turnout was low, at about 60%.
HIGH-PROFILE LOSERS Former Prime Minister Alain Juppe, appointed to be energy and environment minister in new governmentMarine Le Pen, daughter of far-right National Front leader Jean Marie le PenJean-Louis Bruguiere, France's best known anti-terrorist judge, standing for UMP HIGH-PROFILE LOSERS Former Prime Minister Alain Juppe, appointed to be energy and environment minister in new governmentMarine Le Pen, daughter of far-right National Front leader Jean Marie le PenJean-Louis Bruguiere, France's best known anti-terrorist judge, standing for UMP class="" href="/1/hi/world/europe/6762599.stm">French right muted after win
Analysts say Mr Sarkozy's first task will be to work out a cabinet reshuffle, after the defeat of former Prime Minister Alain Juppe, who was made energy and environment minister in the new government.Analysts say Mr Sarkozy's first task will be to work out a cabinet reshuffle, after the defeat of former Prime Minister Alain Juppe, who was made energy and environment minister in the new government.
But the win gives Mr Sarkozy enough room to start pushing his reforms through parliament.But the win gives Mr Sarkozy enough room to start pushing his reforms through parliament.
The president has promised to give universities more autonomy, impose tougher sentences on repeat offenders, tighten immigration, make labour laws more flexible and reduce taxation.The president has promised to give universities more autonomy, impose tougher sentences on repeat offenders, tighten immigration, make labour laws more flexible and reduce taxation.
Prime Minister Francois Fillon said the result gave Mr Sarkozy a strong mandate to introduce his reforms.Prime Minister Francois Fillon said the result gave Mr Sarkozy a strong mandate to introduce his reforms.
"We are going to engage in renewal, we are going to experiment with new ideas, we are going to enhance the status of work, we are going to encourage talent and innovation, and we are going to free ourselves from the defeatism which is suffocating the republic," he said."We are going to engage in renewal, we are going to experiment with new ideas, we are going to enhance the status of work, we are going to encourage talent and innovation, and we are going to free ourselves from the defeatism which is suffocating the republic," he said.
The UMP and its allies' majority is smaller than the 359 seats they held in the previous parliament, when Jacques Chirac was president.The UMP and its allies' majority is smaller than the 359 seats they held in the previous parliament, when Jacques Chirac was president.
The Socialists and their allies won 185 seats, up from 149 in the previous assembly.The Socialists and their allies won 185 seats, up from 149 in the previous assembly.
The centrist Democratic Movement, founded by presidential candidate Francois Bayrou, won three seats. The far-right National Front party did not win any seats.The centrist Democratic Movement, founded by presidential candidate Francois Bayrou, won three seats. The far-right National Front party did not win any seats.
Socialists' reliefSocialists' relief
The leader of the Socialists, Francois Hollande, said the result was "good for the country".The leader of the Socialists, Francois Hollande, said the result was "good for the country".
"The blue wave that had been predicted... has not taken place. In the new assembly, there will be diversity and pluralism," he said."The blue wave that had been predicted... has not taken place. In the new assembly, there will be diversity and pluralism," he said.
He also described the result as an indictment of "unfair measures" set to be introduced by the UMP such as raising sales taxes from 19.5% to 24.5% to finance healthcare costs.He also described the result as an indictment of "unfair measures" set to be introduced by the UMP such as raising sales taxes from 19.5% to 24.5% to finance healthcare costs.
The Socialists' results are a relief to the party, which has been riven by infighting since its candidate, Ms Royal, lost the presidential elections in May.The Socialists' results are a relief to the party, which has been riven by infighting since its candidate, Ms Royal, lost the presidential elections in May.