BREAKING NEWS

Exit poll: Sarkozy leads French local election, far-right makes voting gains

PARIS - Ex-president Nicolas Sarkozy's conservative UMP party and its allies led in the second and final round of French local elections on Sunday, a BFMTV exit poll by pollsters CSA showed.
Marine Le Pen's far-right National Front looked to have made gains, and could have won as many as two "departement" councils.
President Francois Hollande's ruling Socialists lost heavily and was expected to lose about half of the 61 departements it held before the election.
The UMP and its allies are set to secure between 66 and 70 departements, up from 41, the exit poll said.