Sarkozy vows to heal French polls wounds

People demonstrate Place de la Bastille in Paris, next to a car set on fire, after the announcement of estimates for the first results of the French presidential election on Sunday night. Rightwinger Nicolas Sarkozy won the French presidential election, beating Socialist Segolene Royal with about 53 percent of the vote. PHOTO: AFP

"I will not betray you, I will not lie to you, I will not disappoint you," Sarkozy told tens of thousands of supporters packed into a Paris square as news spread of his triumph over the Socialist Segolene Royal.

But riot police also fought hundreds of anti-Sarkozy rioters in Paris and others cities with tear gas and water cannon.

Hundreds of cars were set alight and hundreds of people arrested by police in a night of violence following the election victory of rightwinger Nicolas Sarkozy, police said Monday.

But despite the trouble, a police spokesman said that the widespread violence and rioting some had feared if Sarkozy won, was largely averted.

A total of 367 cars were burned in the high-immigrant suburbs in the hours that followed the triumph of the former interior minister over Socialist Segolene Royal in the presidential election.

"The second round of the presidential election did not result in large-scale urban violence in the flashpoint areas and only a few groups, here and there, set fire to garbage bins and cars," said a police spokesman.

Royal had warned in the runup to Sunday's election that the country could slide into violence and unrest, similar to the three weeks of rioting that rocked French suburbs in late 2005.

Sarkozy won the battle to be France's new generation leader in place of President Jacques Chirac with 53 percent of the vote against 47 percent for Royal, according to official results. The estimated turnout of 85 percent was the highest in three decades.

Amid wild celebrations in the capital, Sarkozy, 52, who has fought to soften his tough-talking image, said he would be the president of the whole nation.

"My thoughts go out to all those French people who did not vote for me," he said in a victory speech at the party headquarters of his Union for a Popular Movement (UMP).

"I want to say to them that -- above and beyond the political fight, above and beyond differences of opinion -- for me there is only one France. I will be president of all the French. I will speak for all of them," he said.

Sarkozy gave the same unifying message to more than 30,000 followers in the Place de la Concorde where he promised to "turn a new page" in French history.

"I recognise the immense responsibilities that weigh on my shoulders," he declared. "I want to say to everyone: I will not betray you, I will not lie to you, I will not disappoint you."

At the Socialist Party headquarters, Royal supporters, many in tears, gloomily digested a third consecutive presidential defeat after 1995 and 2002.