By Catherine Bremer and Paul Taylor | Reuters – 4 hrs ago
PARIS (Reuters) - Socialist Francois Hollande swept to victory in France's presidential election on Sunday in a swing to the left at the heart of Europe and promised to start a pushback against German-led austerity policies.
Hollande led conservative incumbent Nicolas Sarkozy by 51.3 percent to 48.7 percent with 83 percent of votes counted, the Interior Ministry said, bringing the centre-left back to government in Paris after a decade in opposition.
"Europe is watching us," the president-elect said in a victory speech in his constituency of Tulle in central France. "I'm sure that in many European countries there is relief and hope at the idea that austerity does not have to be our only fate."
Sarkozy, punished for his failure to rein in 10-percent unemployment and for his brash personal style, was the 11th euro zone leader in succession to be swept from power since the currency bloc's debt crisis began in 2009.
The outgoing president conceded defeat within 20 minutes of polls closing, telling supporters he had telephoned Hollande to wish him good luck in such trying times.
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