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LARGE GAINS FOR FRONT NATIONAL, HEAVY LOSSES FOR THE UMP IN THE LAST ELECTION BEFORE PRESIDENTIAL VOTE THE SOCIALIST Party and the Front National are the victors in the first round of voting

in local elections. The UMP, Nicolas Sarkozy's governing party, saw a record drop in support to 17 per cent, compared with their performance of 21 per cent when the same districts

voted in 2004. Interior Minister Claude Guéant has been criticised by political leaders for attempting to mask his party's poor performance during the official announcement of results,

by grouping together several centre-right parties under the heading _majorité présidentielle_ with the support of 32.5 per cent. The UMP scraped ahead of the Front National, which scored 16

per cent, making gains in areas where its support had previously been weak. Front National leader Marine Le Pen called on voters to support the party in the second round and said the

party's performance was the result of its policies, which sought to address the problems of the French. The party came first in 39 districts. The French system sees the top two

candidates of the first round go through to a second, head-to-head, vote, unless one candidate secures an absolute majority. They will compete in 394 districts in the second round next week,

against the Socialist Party in 204 seats and the UMP in 190. The UMP has ruled out any chance of a party alliance, after calls from the Socialist Party to block the Front National.

Socialist Party spokesman Benoît Hamon called on supporters to use their second ballot to vote for the UMP in their areas where the alternative is the Front National. Socialist Party leader

Martine Aubry said Nicolas Sarkozy carried a great deal of responsibility for the successful performance of the Front National. Theories for the record low turnout of 45 per cent range from

good weather to the Paris Saint-Germain - Olympique de Marseille match. The positions up for elections, that of _conseiller general_, are due to be replaced in 2014 by a new role of

_conseiller territorial_. While the election is only for certain seats on local councils, it is the last one to take place before the French presidential elections in 2012. Photo: Danielle

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