Nicolas Sarkozy will struggle to keep his job after his Socialist rival drew first blood in Sunday polling but far-right candidate Marine Le Pen could decide the May 6 run-off, European newspapers predict.
Famously passionate about politics, the French have followed the campaign assiduously but have been deeply underwhelmed by the main candidates
François Hollande led the pack with 28.56 per cent of the first round vote, while the incumbent managed 27.07 per cent and Ms Le Pen scoring a National Front (FN) record of 18.12 per cent.
Italy’s leftist Repubblica warned it might be too early for Mr Hollande to celebrate, a view echoed by La Stampa, which stressed “it is clear that we will have to wait for the May 6 run-off” to know the winner.
“It’s a stinging defeat for Mr Sarkozy, whose fate in the second round is now in the hands of Marine Le Pen’s electorate,” the Corriere della Sera’s Paris correspondent said.
While the front runners matched pollsters’ forecasts, Ms Le Pen surged to a share of the electorate never achieved by her father and ex-party leader, Jean-Marie Le Pen.
Britain’s liberal daily The Guardian said Ms Le Pen’s performance was stunning, adding she could emerge as a kingmaker in the second round.
“In the run-up to Sunday’s first round presidential vote, it was hard to find many people in France publicly admitting they intended to vote for Marine Le Pen,” said the daily.
“The surprise score reflected not only how Marine made inroads into the French political landscape during a campaign in which she relentlessly challenged the ‘established’ candidates, but also a deep disillusion with the main parties.”
The right-wing Daily Telegraph echoed the idea of growing disillusionment. It said: “Famously passionate about politics, the French have followed the campaign assiduously but have been deeply underwhelmed by the main candidates.”
The Daily Mail carried a picture of First Lady Carla Bruni on its front page above the word “humiliated”, although it said her husband could remain in the Elysée depending where the far-right vote moves.
In Spain, centre-left El Pais said online: “Hollande Gives Hope For Socialism By Beating Sarkozy” while centre-right El Mundo said: “France Wants A Socialist President.”
In Belgium, daily Le Soir argued that even Ms Le Pen’s support might not be enough to save Mr Sarkozy’s seat, claiming Mr Hollande “already has a foot in the Elysée palace”.
“Even if he lurches further to the right than he did for the first round, it is hard to see how (Mr Sarkozy) could turn things around,” the French-language newspaper wrote.
The Danish daily Politiken came to much the same conclusion, arguing Mr Hollande was endorsed by far-left candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon, who scored 11.7 per cent after waging a feisty campaign.
“Mr Hollande can count on the mass of support of the left but the President will have a tough task trying to convince those who voted for Ms Le Pen to back him now,” it said.
In Portugal, the leading daily Publico headlined For Hollande: The Change Has Already Begun.