Presidential Elections Held in France 2012

Narrow Win for Hollande in French Presidential Election

Hollande Takes Narrow Lead Over Sarkozy in First Round

The first round of the French presidential election has concluded, with Socialist candidate François Hollande emerging with a narrow lead over incumbent President Nicolas Sarkozy.

Hollande secured 28.6% of the vote, while Sarkozy followed closely with 27.2%. The remaining candidates failed to garner significant support, with Marine Le Pen of the National Front receiving 17.9% and Jean-Luc Mélenchon of the Left Front taking 11.1%.

Second Round Runoff to Determine Next President

As no candidate secured an outright majority in the first round, a runoff election will be held on May 6th. The two candidates with the highest number of votes, Hollande and Sarkozy, will face off in the decisive second round.

The outcome of the election has significant implications for France's future. Hollande has pledged to implement a series of left-wing policies, including tax increases for the wealthy and a reduction in the retirement age. Sarkozy, on the other hand, has vowed to continue his conservative economic agenda.

Voters will have a crucial choice to make in the runoff election, as the outcome will determine the direction of France's policies for the next five years.