France begins to pick a new president

France began choosing a new president Sunday after a frenzied campaign among a dozen contenders in a

vote with unpredictable results. Only four of the candidates, including conservative front-runner Nicolas Sarkozy and Socialist Segolene Royal, placing No. 2 in polls, had a real chance of being among the top two scorers who will face each other in a final round of voting May 6.

The new president replaces Jacques Chirac, ending 12 years as head of state at the close of his second mandate. For the first time, voting was staggered, with France's overseas territories going to polls on Saturday so that the votes of French in the country's far-flung regions would be sure to be counted. (AP)