Sarkozy wins French Presidency, vows to heal campaign wounds

FRANCE: Right-winger Nicolas Sarkozy, who had sought a mandate for radical reform, emphatically won France's presidential election on Sunday, but promised to heal the wounds of the bitterly fought campaign.

"I will not betray you, I will not lie to you, I will not disappoint you," Sarkozy told tens of thousands of supporters packed into a Paris square as news spread of his triumph over the Socialist Segolene Royal.

Sarkozy won the battle to be France's new generation leader in place of President Jacques Chirac with 53 percent of the vote against 47 percent for Royal, according to official results. The estimated turnout of 85 percent was the highest in three decades.

Amid wild celebrations in the capital, Sarkozy, 52, who has fought to soften his tough-talking image, said he would be the president of the whole nation.

"My thoughts go out to all those French people who did not vote for me," he said in a victory speech at the party headquarters of his Union for a Popular Movement (UMP).

"I want to say to them that - above and beyond the political fight, above and beyond differences of opinion - for me there is only one France. I will be president of all the French. I will speak for all of them," he said.

Sarkozy gave the same unifying message to more than 30,000 followers in the Place de la Concorde where he promised to "turn a new page" in French history.

"I recognise the immense responsibilities that weigh on my shoulders," he declared. "I want to say to everyone: I will not betray you, I will not lie to you, I will not disappoint you."

At the Socialist Party headquarters, Royal supporters, many in tears, gloomily digested a third consecutive presidential defeat after 1995 and 2002.

"I gave it all I had and will continue to be with you and close to you," Royal said. But many experts now expect bitter recriminations within the left wing party over its new humiliation.

Sarkozy said the United States can count on friendship from France but urged Washington to show leadership in the struggle against global warming and that it would be a priority for his government.

Sarkozy said "a great nation like the United States has the duty to not create obstacles in the struggle against global warming."

Meanwhile European leaders congratulated Nicolas Sarkozy on his victory and hoped his triumph would help unblock reforms stalled by the rejection of the EU constitution in 2005.

U.S. President George W. Bush also telephoned to offer his congratulations and said he expected good relations with Sarkozy, who has made a priority of repairing the damage to French-U.S. relations caused by tension over the Iraq war.

Sarkozy's election could help restart the process of finding a way forward on reviving the European Union constitution, which has been held up as Europe awaited the results of the French election.

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said he was confident Sarkozy would help find a way out of the impasse that has gripped Europe since French and Dutch voters threw out the constitution in referendums two years ago. "I know Nicolas Sarkozy well, and I know his determination to ensure France takes its full place on the European scene," the centre-right head of the EU's executive body said.

"I have every confidence that Nicolas Sarkozy, whose convictions I know and whose strong beliefs are known to all, will play a driving role in resolving the institutional question and in consolidating a political Europe," Barroso said.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she looked forward to meeting Sarkozy soon and that she was sure the traditionally strong Franco-German alliance would continue.

"She is sure that under the new president, the proven German-French friendship will continue to be the foundation for ensuring peace, democracy and well-being in Europe," Merkel's office said in a statement.

"Particularly as Europe is in such a decisive phase, it is important to continue the close, trustful and intensive cooperation between German and France."

British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi, both centre-left politicians, also offered their best wishes.

"The complex situation in Europe and in the world call for us to show a shared and strong commitment," Prodi said.

Paris, Monday, AFP, Reuters