Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Wallis has top turnout in French polls

Posted at 00:07 on 12 June, 2012 UTC

Voting in the first round of the election of a new French National Assembly shows that Wallis and Futuna had the highest turnout of any of the electorates with a figure of just over 78 percent.

The UMP candidate David Verge won most votes in Wallis and Futuna, defying the overall trend which promises to give the Socialists an absolute majority after next weekend’s run-off election.

Mr Verge will be challenged by Mikaele Kulimoetoke and the incumbent Albert Likuvalu.

In New Caledonia, the UMP is certain to lose one seat but its sole incumbent has secured a lead in the other seat.

The new French overseas territories minister, Victorin Lurel, has won his seat in Guadeloupe outright, defeating his predecessor as minister, Marie-Luce Penchard.