French President Nicolas Sarkozy's UMP party has been beaten by the opposition Socialists in the first round of regional elections on Sunday, exit polls said, suggesting the center-right was set for a hefty defeat.
Sarkozy has sought to play down the importance of the vote, saying it would have no impact on his reform drive, but the scale of the projected loss could give the Socialists a huge boost after years of bitter infighting. (Reuters)
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