Chirac’s centre-right set for poll victory

France’s mainstream right has won a solid victory in a first-round parliamentary vote, putting newly re-elected president Jacques Chirac on course to push through his pro-business, tough-on-crime agenda.

The extreme right, meanwhile, suffered a setback in yesterday’s vote, which came more than a month after its leader, Jean-Marie Le Pen, stunned the country with his strong showing in presidential elections.