Sarkozy, Royal in French Runoff

By Caroline Miller,  Newser Staff
Posted Apr 22, 2007 3:03 PM CDT
Sarkozy, Royal in French Runoff
French Socialist presidential candidate Segolene Royal leaves a polling booth in Melle, western France, Sunday April 22, 2007. Only four of the French presidential candidates, including conservative front-runner Nicolas Sarkozy and Socialist Segolene Royal, placing second in polls, had a real chance...   (Associated Press)

Conservative Nicolas Sarkozy and Socialist Segolene Royal won the first round of voting today to succeed French president Jacques Chirac, CNN reports. Based on vote counts from hundreds of polling stations, Sarkozy drew 30.46% of the votes, and Royal  24.41%. They will face each other in a runoff election May 6.

After a ferocious campaign debate over how to rescue France from economic stagnation and a national identity crisis, voter turnout was over 80%. Sarkozy offered a right-wing, free-market solution, while Royal promised to protect the country's social model. (More Segolene Royal stories.)

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