Hollande, Sarkozy in French runoff vote

PARIS -- Socialist François Hollande and conservative President Nicolas Sarkozy are heading for a runoff election in their race for president, according to partial official results in a vote that could alter the European political and economic landscape.

French voters defied expectations and handed a surprisingly strong third-place showing to far-right candidate Marine Le Pen, who has run on an anti-immigrant platform aimed largely at Muslims. That could boost her influence.

With 75 percent of the vote counted, Hollande had 27.9 percent of ballots cast and Sarkozy 26.7 percent, according to figures released by the Interior Ministry after polls closed.

Le Pen was third with 19.2 percent of the vote so far. In fourth place was leftist firebrand Jean-Luc Melenchon with 10.8 percent, followed by centrist François Bayrou with 9.2 percent and five other candidates with minimal support.

Turnout was surprisingly high, projected by polling agencies at 80 percent.

Hollande, 57, who has worried investors with his pledges to boost government spending, vowed to cut France's huge debts, boost growth and unite the nation after Sarkozy's divisive first term.

Sarkozy, 57, said he recognized voters' concerns about jobs and immigration, and "the concern of our compatriots to preserve their way of life," he told supporters at his campaign headquarters on the Left Bank.

Ten candidates faced off for yesterday's first round of voting. The top two candidates head to a runoff May 6.