French Socialists eye unity after poll

France’s once-fractious Socialists are looking to hold on to new-found unity in the second and final round of legislative elections, after a strong first-round showing in the vote for the National Assembly.

Final Interior Ministry results released today – a day after nationwide balloting – showed President Francois Hollande’s Socialist Party and its leftist allies winning at least 46%.

The main centre-right bloc tallied at least 34%, while the unaligned far-right National Front party won 13.6%. Tiny parties across the political spectrum made up the difference.

Polling agencies that have calculated the numbers precinct-by-precinct say the Socialists and allies could win an absolute majority in the Assembly in the May 17 final round – giving Mr Hollande the legislative majority he needs to revamp a country that his partisans see as too capitalist for the French, and push to save the eurozone through growth, not austerity.