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France holds local election, as National Front eyes gains Sarkozy staves off surging National Front, France exit polls suggest
(34 minutes later)
People in France are voting in local elections in which the far-right National Front (FN) party is expected to score big gains. Ex-President Nicolas Sarkozy's conservative UMP and its allies led voting in the first round of French local elections, exit polls suggest.
They pushed the far-right National Front into second, with President Francois Hollande's ruling Socialists in third.
Voters are electing representatives in 101 departments, or counties, charged with issues like schools and welfare.Voters are electing representatives in 101 departments, or counties, charged with issues like schools and welfare.
Sunday's first round will be followed by a second in a week's time. A second round of voting will take place in a week's time.
Polls suggest that the Socialists of President Francois Hollande will suffer another setback, after defeats in municipal and EU elections last year. Mr Hollande's third place in the estimated results, released after polling closed on Sunday, follow on from defeats in municipal and EU elections last year.
Some polls indicate that the FN, led by Marine Le Pen, could come top in the first round. Various exit polls put the UMP and its partners in first place - ahead of Marine Le Pen's National Front (FN).
Serious contender Some polls ahead of the vote had indicated that the far-right, anti-immigration FN could come top in the first round.
Ms Le Pen had been hoping the elections would build momentum ahead of her expected bid for the presidency in 2017.
Socialist Prime Minister Manuel Valls welcomed the news that the FN had scored less that some had predicted, saying the results showed it was not the strongest force in French politics.
However, Ms Le Pen called for Mr Valls to resign, celebrating what she said was a "massive vote" for her party, exceeding its performance in the European Parliament elections.
Analysis: Hugh Schofield, BBC News, Paris
It's another big vote for the French far-right, following the municipal and European elections last year. In this first round of departmental or county council elections, nationwide 24.5% of voters chose the National Front, according to one poll.
It is a figure that shows yet again how Marine Le Pen's strategy of building a system of local organisation and shutting down the party's overtly racist elements is paying off.
However, opinion polls had suggested the far-right could have done better - even emerging as the most popular party in the election.
That didn't happen, which has given some cheer to the mainstream opposition here, led by former President Sarkozy.
By late afternoon on Sunday, turnout stood at almost 43%, higher than in the last local election.By late afternoon on Sunday, turnout stood at almost 43%, higher than in the last local election.
The BBC's Hugh Schofield in Paris says France's changing electoral map means the vote is a three-horse race.
The Socialists and the centre-right UMP have been joined by the FN, not as a freakish upstart but a serious contender for power, our correspondent adds.
Ms Le Pen is hoping the elections will build up momentum ahead of her expected bid for the presidency in 2017.
The FN has benefited from economic stagnation, high unemployment, and general hostility to mainstream parties.
The governing Socialists and their left-wing allies are expected to take the biggest hit, losing many of the 61 departments they hold.
But the FN is also taking voters from the UMP, which has struggled to unify behind a single leader since the defeat of Mr Sarkozy in the 2012 presidential election.
Voters for the rival parties are expected to combine in the second round on 29 March to keep the far-right out.
But Ms Le Pen is confident that this will turn out to be another major moment in her growing challenge to France's political establishment, says the BBC's Hugh Schofield.
For the first time, voters in these elections are not choosing single candidates - but pairs of candidates - one man and one woman - in order to enforce strict gender equality in local politics.For the first time, voters in these elections are not choosing single candidates - but pairs of candidates - one man and one woman - in order to enforce strict gender equality in local politics.
Analysis: Lucy Williamson, BBC News, Aisne
Apathy has traditionally favoured the FN, but France's two-round election system has tended to work against it. The second round of voting has in the past acted as a brake on the party - with voters from left and right uniting against it.
But with apathy and frustration growing, how much longer will those voters turn out to keep the FN from power?
A step nearer power for the National Front?