VARIOUS: French Nationals in London, Berlin and Tel Aviv cast their votes in French Presidential election run-off

French voters turned out in droves on Sunday for an election run-off in which conservative Nicolas Sarkozy was widely expected to defeat Socialist Segolene Royal in her bid to become France's first woman president. Final opinion polls on Sunday (May 06) gave Sarkozy, the son of a Hungarian immigrant, a commanding 10-point lead over Royal in the race to succeed conservative Jacques Chirac after 12 years in office. Sarkozy, a 52-year-old former interior minister, has promised reforms to make France work more, crack down on crime and cut unemployment. Royal, a 53-year-old regional leader, says she will create jobs but keep a generous social welfare system. Turnout was on course to beat the first-round figure of nearly 85 percent on April 22, when Sarkozy and Royal eliminated 10 other candidates. The Interior Ministry said 34.1 percent of the 44.5 million electorate had voted by 1000 GMT. The winner will inherit a fractured, fragile society in need of economic reform and a dose of self-belief even though France is a nuclear power, has a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council and is the euro zone's second largest economy. The election marks a generational shift with the departure of Chirac, 74, but just how far France is ready for change is open to question. " "I came to vote because I believe it's an important obligation and this year, for the first time, we have a candidate in the elections - Nicolas Sarkozy, who has spoken of his support for Israel, and I think it's important to give him the same support." said David Dray, a 47-year-old doctor in Tel Aviv in Israel. But Stephanie, a french voter in Berlin said: "I'm not sure, but I have the impression that she (the socialist Segolene Royal) is a little more human,". Opinion polls giving an initial indication of the result were expected immediately after voting ends at 8:00 p.m. (1800 GMT). First partial official results were due soon afterwards.

ITN Source | May 6, 2007

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