PARIS — Nicolas Sarkozy, an immigrant's son promising to revitalize France, won a comfortable victory Sunday in a presidential election seen as a mandate for his bold plans to enact free-market reforms, reassert influence abroad and strengthen ties to the United States.
Center-right candidate Sarkozy won 53% of the vote to beat Socialist Segolene Royal, who aspired to be France's first female president, according to official results based on 95% of the vote. Turnout for the runoff election was about 85%, 2 percentage points shy of the record.
"The French people have expressed themselves," Sarkozy told a boisterous crowd in a theater near the Avenue des Champs Elysees. "They have chosen to break with the ideas, the habits and the behaviors of the past. I want to rehabilitate work, authority, morality, respect, merit. I want to restore the honor of the nation and the national identity. I want to return to the French the pride of being French."
The election was a historic moment for a country anxious about economic stagnation, political malaise and ethnic tension. The solid win showed that voters believe Sarkozy has the strength and vision to push through challenging reforms such as streamlining government, encouraging entrepreneurship and cutting taxes, analysts said.
"This is the first time that the right incarnates change more than the left," said Thierry Vedel, an analyst at the Center for the Study of French Political Life here. "It is remarkable. Sarkozy's margin is very good, especially if you consider that the turnout was so high."
Sarkozy's vocal admiration for the United States distinguishes him from a political class with an anti-American streak. During his victory speech, Sarkozy drew cheers when he spoke warmly of the U.S. -- and when he vowed that France would preserve its independence.
"I want to send word to our American friends to tell them they can count on our friendship, which has been forged by the tragedies of history that we have confronted together," Sarkozy said. "I want to tell them that France will always be at their side when they need her. But I also want to tell them that friendship is accepting that friends can think differently, and that a great nation like the United States should not be an obstacle to the fight against global warming, but on the contrary should take the lead because the future of all humanity is at stake."
