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Nicolas Sarkozy defeated in first round of French presidential elections

23 April 2012 07:33 (UTC +04:00)

Strasbourg. Fuad Gulubeyli â€“ APA. Socialist Francois Hollande won the first round presidential elections in France with 28 percent of the vote. APAâ€™s European bureau reports candidate from the right-wing Union for People Movement Party (UMP) incumbent president Nicolas Sarkozy came second with 26,10% of the vote. Turnout was high at least 80 percent.

For the first time, incumbent president lost first round elections in France. Hollande and Sarkozy qualified for the second round on May 6. Far-right candidate Marine Le Pen came third with 18.50% of the vote. Her father Jean-Marie Le Pen was second in first round presidential race in 2002 defeating by Jacques Chirac. Marine Le Pen has beaten record in the history of her party. Far-left Jean-Luc Melenchon scored 11.70% and was fourth. Centrist candidate Francois Bayrou, who was third in 2007 first round presidential race, gained 8.80% now. Other five candidates scored less than 3%.

Melenchon and candidate from Europe Ecologie â€“ The Greens Eva Joly, who scored 2.3%, called their supporters to vote for Hollande in the second round. Marine Le Pen said she would announce her position on May 1. Francois Bayrou also didnâ€™t specify his favorite. Experts predict Hollandeâ€™s victory with 54% in the second round presidential elections and give 46% to Sarkozy.