With 82 percent of the vote counted, Sarkozy's UMP party had 40 percent of the vote, while the opposition Socialists had 25 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.
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