France Faces a Battle Royal

FRANCE is heading for a head-to-head presidential contest between right-winger Nicolas Sarkozy and socialist Segolene Royal.

Pollsters are predicting 10 of the 12 first-round candidates will be eliminated after yesterday’s vote.

That will leave France with a straight choice between left and right in May 6′s run-off vote.

There was a turn-out of just over 80 per cent, the highest for a first round since 1965.

Preliminary polls gave Sarkozy 30 per cent to 24 per cent for Royal, who hopes to be France’s first female president.

In the run-off, Sarkozy should be able to count on votes from the far right while Royal can expect support from parties to her left.

But both will hope to pick up votes from supporters of centrist Francois Bayrou, who was expected to come third in the first round with 18 per cent.

(c) 2007 Daily Record; Glasgow (UK). Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.