Game, set, match for the legislative elections

Jean Leonetti won outright in the first round, holding on to the parliamentary position he has held since 1997. Copyright: Assemblée Nationale

In the Alpes Maritimes, the UMP were the fore runners in each of the nine different regions, with second places going to either the Socialists or Marine Le Pen's radical National Front. Luca and Leonetti won over 50 per cent of the votes, cementing their political places in the National Assembly for the next five years.

Mayor of Nice Christian Estrosi narrowly missed out on an absolute majority, scoring 44.23 per cent in the polls. He thanked voters for their "loyalty and support", saying that he remains "absolutely dedicated to Nice and the metropolis."

Cannes' Mayor Bernard Brochand also came close to a successful first round election with 47.78 per cent. The National Front's candidate Adrien Grosjean came in second place with 23.71 per cent - eliminating the Socialist opposition.

Similarly in the Var, it was a race between the three groups. During the first round of the metropolitan legislative elections in the region, UMP won 35.83 per cent of votes, the National Front came in second position with 23.83 per cent, and the Socialists in third with 12.33 per cent.

In the Var, UMP headed up each constituency but were tailed all the way by the National Front. A veritable dual has kicked off between the two parties in glitzy Saint Tropez and Saint Raphael after the left failed to make it into the second round leaving residents to a conservative or controversial choice.

With a week to go before the final round of France's legislative elections, the UMP party - formerly led by ex President Nicolas Sarkozy - looks set to retain all of its seats in the Alpes Maritimes but could loose out to Hollande and the Socialists as they gain terrain in other regions of France.

Hollande will be hoping to achieve an absolute majority if he wants to push through his taxes and spending reforms and consolidate his position as Europe's anti-austerity leader.

Nationally, the Socialist party is just ahead of the UMP, with both parties receiving 29.21 per cent and 26.62 per cent of the votes respectively. Not too far behind them is the notorious National Front who was selected by 3.5 million members of the French public with 13.77 per cent of the votes.

Voter turnout of was poor throughout the country as 42.77 per cent of France chose to abstain from the political melee.

The next round of voting resumes on 17th June.

Elsa Carpenter