Sarkozy and Hollande Runoff, say First French Election Polls

Sarkozy and Holland

French citizens went to the polls this Sunday in the first round of presidential elections. Belgian and Swiss media attributed the victory to the Socialist leader, Francois Hollande, two points away from the current President Nicolas Sarkozy. Far right candidate Marine Le Pen is consolidated in third position.

The Socialist candidate, 57, promises less drastic spending cuts than Sarkozy´s and wants to raise taxes on the wealthy to finance job creation, particularly a 75% people with incomes over one million euros (USD 1.32 million). Hollande could become the first leftist president since François Mitterrand defeated President Valery Giscard-d’Estaing in France 1981. (FL)