Sarkozy wins French election

Updated 21.03 Sun May 06 2007

Keywords: France, Segolene Royal, Nicolas Sarkozy, election

Nicolas Sarkozy has won France's presidential election today, defeating Segolene Royal by 53 per cent, according to a poll.

Socialist Royal conceded defeat after the results were obtained from an official exit poll.

"To all those French who did not vote for me, I want to say that beyond political battles, beyond differences of opinion, for me there is only one France. I want to tell them that I will be president of all the French" - Nicolas Sarkozy

Sarkozy pledged to represent all French people. "To all those French who did not vote for me, I want to say that beyond political battles, beyond differences of opinion, for me there is only one France. I want to tell them that I will be president of all the French," he told supporters in Paris.

Sarkozy, 52, will succeed fellow conservative Jacques Chirac, who was president for 12 years.

Tony Blair, who has had a rocky relationship with Chirac, telephoned the new French President Sarkozy to congratulate him on his election win.

This year's election in France had a record turnout of about 85 per cent.

Sarkozy's face flashed up on television screens after polling stations closed at 8pm (1800 GMT), signalling his victory and setting off jubilant scenes among supporters gathered in central Paris.

Meanwhile, Royal's socialist party now faces tough reforms to make it more appealing to voters after its third consecutive election defeat.