France starts to choose new president

France began choosing a new president today 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, placed number two 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.