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French Socialists take Toulouse, Caen, Strasbourg, Amiens and Reims

Monday, 17 March 2008

French Socialists take Toulouse, Caen, Strasbourg, Amiens and Reims

French voters in the local elections have given the Socialists victory in the key cities of Toulouse, Caen, Strasbourg, Amiens and Reims, which comes a severe blow to President Nicolas Sarkozy’s UMP party’s hopes. The Socialist party also held on to Paris and Lyon.

However, the UMP managed to keep control of Marseille.

The wins by the Socialist party are likely to make it more difficult for Nicolas Sarkozy to push through his reform programme to completion.

The results of poll is regarded as the first ballot box test of his popularity since Nicolas Sarkozy came to power last May. Less than four in 10 voters now would say they are happy with what President Nicolas Sarkozy has done so far in his term in office in comparison with last July when his ratings stood at 67%.

53-year-old Nicolas Sarkozy's recent divorce three months into his presidency and then his remarriage to supermodel Carla Bruni after a much publicised whirlwind romance have added to the decline in his popularity with the French voters.

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