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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| France's Royal promises changes | France's Royal promises changes |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| French Socialist presidential candidate Segolene Royal has promised to embody change if she becomes France's first female head of state. | French Socialist presidential candidate Segolene Royal has promised to embody change if she becomes France's first female head of state. |
| Ms Royal, 53, described her win over two rivals in a ballot of party members as "extraordinary", and said she wanted to write a new page in French history. | Ms Royal, 53, described her win over two rivals in a ballot of party members as "extraordinary", and said she wanted to write a new page in French history. |
| She won with more than 60% of the vote, avoiding a second round. | She won with more than 60% of the vote, avoiding a second round. |
| The mother-of-four is widely expected to face centre-right hopeful Nicolas Sarkozy in the April poll. | The mother-of-four is widely expected to face centre-right hopeful Nicolas Sarkozy in the April poll. |
| I want to embody this change and make it credible and legitimate Segolene Royal Profile: Segolene Royal Ms Royal has promoted herself as a political outsider who can shake up a system with which many French people have grown disenchanted. | I want to embody this change and make it credible and legitimate Segolene Royal Profile: Segolene Royal Ms Royal has promoted herself as a political outsider who can shake up a system with which many French people have grown disenchanted. |
| But BBC Europe editor Mark Mardell says she has so far been decidedly light on policy detail and faces a relentless campaign against Mr Sarkozy. | But BBC Europe editor Mark Mardell says she has so far been decidedly light on policy detail and faces a relentless campaign against Mr Sarkozy. |
| Speaking to reporters in Poitou-Charente, whose regional council she heads, Ms Royal expressed delight at the result. | Speaking to reporters in Poitou-Charente, whose regional council she heads, Ms Royal expressed delight at the result. |
| "To be chosen in this way is something extraordinary," she said. | "To be chosen in this way is something extraordinary," she said. |
| "I want to embody this change and make it credible and legitimate. | "I want to embody this change and make it credible and legitimate. |
| "I think that tonight this legitimacy has been given to me and for this I want to thank party members from the bottom of my heart." | "I think that tonight this legitimacy has been given to me and for this I want to thank party members from the bottom of my heart." |
| Race begins | Race begins |
| Both rivals, former Finance Minister Dominique Strauss-Kahn and ex-Prime Minister Laurent Fabius, conceded saying it was important for the Socialists to forget their differences and focus on the election, which has been set for 22 April. | Both rivals, former Finance Minister Dominique Strauss-Kahn and ex-Prime Minister Laurent Fabius, conceded saying it was important for the Socialists to forget their differences and focus on the election, which has been set for 22 April. |
| Mr Sarkozy has not officially announced that he is a candidate. | Mr Sarkozy has not officially announced that he is a candidate. |
| The Socialist rivals were involved in a bitter campaignRecent polls have suggested Ms Royal would stand an even chance of beating Mr Sarkozy in the presidential poll - but her two rivals would not. | |
| The three contenders made bitter attacks on each other during the campaign. | The three contenders made bitter attacks on each other during the campaign. |
| If no candidate had achieved an overall majority of votes, there would have been a second round next week. | If no candidate had achieved an overall majority of votes, there would have been a second round next week. |
| But party officials said 60.6% of the party's 220,000 members had plumped for Ms Royal, a former environment minister. | But party officials said 60.6% of the party's 220,000 members had plumped for Ms Royal, a former environment minister. |
| Mr Strauss-Kahn took 20.8% of the vote and Mr Fabius 18.5%. | Mr Strauss-Kahn took 20.8% of the vote and Mr Fabius 18.5%. |
| Ms Royal's rivals tried to destabilise her campaign during the final days on the election trail. | Ms Royal's rivals tried to destabilise her campaign during the final days on the election trail. |
| Teachers reacted angrily after a video appeared on the internet last week featuring a party meeting earlier this year in which she said they should work longer hours in school. | Teachers reacted angrily after a video appeared on the internet last week featuring a party meeting earlier this year in which she said they should work longer hours in school. |
| Ms Royal responded by highlighting what she described as "chauvinistic comments" made by her rival candidates, something they strongly denied. | Ms Royal responded by highlighting what she described as "chauvinistic comments" made by her rival candidates, something they strongly denied. |