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| France local elections: Socialists lose heavily - early results | France local elections: Socialists lose heavily - early results |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| France's governing Socialists have suffered big losses in municipal elections, early results show, with the opposition UMP claiming victory and the far right celebrating further gains. | France's governing Socialists have suffered big losses in municipal elections, early results show, with the opposition UMP claiming victory and the far right celebrating further gains. |
| UMP leader Jean-Francois Cope hailed what he called a "blue wave" of support for his centre-right party. | UMP leader Jean-Francois Cope hailed what he called a "blue wave" of support for his centre-right party. |
| The far-right National Front (FN) was heading for victory in up to seven towns, early results indicated. | The far-right National Front (FN) was heading for victory in up to seven towns, early results indicated. |
| The Socialists have been hit by growing discontent over the economy. | The Socialists have been hit by growing discontent over the economy. |
| Turnout in Sunday's second-round vote was low, which was bad news for President Francois Hollande's Socialists as it was their supporters who were not voting, BBC Paris correspondent Hugh Schofield reports. | Turnout in Sunday's second-round vote was low, which was bad news for President Francois Hollande's Socialists as it was their supporters who were not voting, BBC Paris correspondent Hugh Schofield reports. |
| Marine Le Pen's National Front was on course for victory in the southern towns of Beziers and Frejus and in Villers-Cotterets north-east of Paris. | Marine Le Pen's National Front was on course for victory in the southern towns of Beziers and Frejus and in Villers-Cotterets north-east of Paris. |
| The centre-right UMP appear poised to capture a number of key cities, including Saint-Etienne, Reims and Roubaix, our correspondent says. | The centre-right UMP appear poised to capture a number of key cities, including Saint-Etienne, Reims and Roubaix, our correspondent says. |
| A reshuffle - and quite likely a replacement for Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault - could be announced as early as Monday, he adds. | A reshuffle - and quite likely a replacement for Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault - could be announced as early as Monday, he adds. |
| In Paris, which has had a Socialist mayor since 2001, Socialist candidate Anne Hidalgo claimed victory over her UMP rival. | |
| It was seen as a consolation for the governing party on a night of setbacks. | It was seen as a consolation for the governing party on a night of setbacks. |
| Voters were choosing councillors and mayors in more than 36,000 municipalities. FN candidates had won through to the second round in some 200 places. | Voters were choosing councillors and mayors in more than 36,000 municipalities. FN candidates had won through to the second round in some 200 places. |
| The FN is widely expected to do well in the European Parliament elections in May - and opinion polls suggest the Eurosceptic party is on course to come top. | The FN is widely expected to do well in the European Parliament elections in May - and opinion polls suggest the Eurosceptic party is on course to come top. |