Conservatives Gaining Ground In Europe

Conservatives Gaining Ground In Europe

Sunday, June 10, 2007 10:48 PM

Gee.  I wonder why that might be.

Voters resoundingly endorsed President Nicolas Sarkozy’s plans to overhaul the French economy, giving his party a commanding lead Sunday in the first round of elections for parliament.

Sarkozy’s UMP party won 39.6 percent of the vote, while the opposition Socialists had 24.7 percent, the Interior Ministry said.

Sarkozy’s conservatives have a strong advantage heading into the decisive runoff next Sunday, on track to expand their absolute majority in the 577-seat parliament. Control of the National Assembly is central to Sarkozy’s agenda of tax cuts, labor reforms, and other plans to try to shake France out of its malaise.