...AND REDDER...:

Sarkozy's party heading for landslide victory (Henry Samuel, 11/06/2007, Daily Telegraph)

Nicolas Sarkozy's centre-Right UMP was heading for a landslide victory in the first round of French legislative elections yesterday, giving the president the parliamentary muscle he needs to drive through ambitious reforms in the coming months.

Exit polls suggested that the Union for a Popular Movement, which Mr Sarkozy led until being elected president last month, was set to unfurl a "blue wave" of around 385-420 out of 577 seats in the National Assembly - one of its biggest majorities in recent years. It currently has 359 seats.

This will be the first time since 1978 that an outgoing parliament has retained a majority in France.