PARIS (Thomson Financial) - Conservative Nicholas Sarkozy of the ruling UMP party is set to face socialist Segolene Royal of the PS party in the presidential run-off, following the first round of the French elections, official estimates showed.
According to exit polls released just after voting closed Sarkozy scored 29.5-30.0 pct of the vote, followed by Royal with 25.2-26.3 pct and the two will go into the second round on May 6.
The poll put Francois Bayrou of the centrist UMP party at 17.9-18.8 pct and far right leader Jean-Marie Le Pen at 10.6-12.0 pct.
All of the polling organisations agreed on the placing of the top four candidates.
The support of Bayrou supporters will largely decide the outcome in two weeks' time and it is not yet known which candidate he will endorse.
Last week, both he and Royal rejected calls for an anti-Sarkozy coalition ahead of round one. tfn.paris@thomson.com mrg/gp/mrg/gp COPYRIGHT Copyright AFX News Limited 2007. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of AFX News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of AFX News.