French Socialist candidate Francois Hollande was on Monday in pole position after most votes had been counted. Hollande had 28.6 per cent of the vote to President Nicolas Sarkozy's 27.1 per cent, with around 99 per cent of Sunday's vote counted, French media reported, citing the Interior Ministry. The two front-runners are due to go to a second round on May 6. Far-right National Front leader Marine Le Pen came third with 18 per cent, a record in a first round for her party. Running in fourth and fifth were Left Front candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon with 11.13 per cent and centrist MoDem candidate Francois Bayrou with 9.11 per cent. The turnout was high at around 80 per cent, DPA reported.
