French President Mr Jacques Chirac was on course to win an overwhelming parliamentary majority today, after the centre-right scored a decisive victory in the first round of the elections for the National Assembly.
Supporters of the president won around 43 per cent of the vote, well ahead of the left on 36 percent and with the far-right slipping to around 13 per cent, according to computer estimates issued as polls closed.
If maintained in the second round of the election next Sunday, the results would give the centre-right between 380 and 446 seats in the 577-member Assembly, according to estimates, with the Socialists and their allies winning between 127 and 192 seats.
A majority of this size would allow Mr Chirac to embark on his second term claiming an unambiguous mandate, removing the problem of so-called "cohabitation" which forced him to share power for five years with a Socialist prime minister.
Though the National Front (FN) of Mr Jean-Marie Le Pen fell back by around five percentage points over his personal score in the first round of the presidential election in April, it could still win up to four seats, according to the estimates.
The current National Assembly, elected in 1997, has a left-wing majority of around 70 seats. The FN has none.
The result was immediately welcomed by members of the centre-right government which was appointed after Mr Chirac's re-election victory over Le Pen last month.
But ministers warned against triumphalism, for fear of discouraging supporters from turning out at next Sunday's deciding vote.
For the Socialists, former justice minister Ms Elisabeth Guigou said "everything is still possible, as long as we can mobilise the abstentionists. The right must not have all the powers, especially if it is under the influence of the extreme-right."
The abstention rate was around 36 per cent, according to polling institutes, which is a record in French parliamentary elections.
Supporters of Mr Chirac had called for a clear majority, in order to avoid another damaging period of "cohabitation," and to allow the centre-right to move ahead with its manifesto pledges to cut crime, reduce taxes and improve the country's economic competitiveness.
The Socialists entered the race demoralised and leaderless after the defeat of former prime minister Mr Lionel Jospin at the hands of Mr Le Pen in the presidential election, and opinions polls had predicted they were lining up for a major defeat.
Mr Le Pen's FN was hoping to cause another upset, winning through to the second round in as many as 300 constituencies, but its score was well below expectations. According to the SOFRES institute, it may win through in only 35.
AFP