The French electorate clearly favoured his leftist challengers in regional elections.

Near-complete official results showed Socialist and other leftist candidates dominating Sunday's first round vote to choose governments of France's 26 regions. The decisive runoff is on March 21.

The far right National Front party had a stronger-than-expected showing after years in decline, buoyed by voters worried anew about immigration and France's growing Muslim population.

With more than 96% of votes counted, candidates from the Socialist and other parties on the left won 53.6% of the overall vote, according to the Interior Ministry. Mr Sarkozy's conservative UMP party and others on the right won 39.8%.

The UMP's poor results, combined with an unusually low turnout of 47%, spells widespread discontent with the increasingly unpopular President.

Mr Sarkozy remained silent, leaving comment from the government's top echelon to Prime Minister Francois Fillon. "It's not over. Everything is open" before the runoff, Mr Fillon said, remaining combative even as other UMP colleagues wrung their hands on televised talk shows.

Socialist leader Martine Aubry, unusually poised and eloquent in a speech to supporters, said that in casting their votes, the French "wanted most of all to express their wish for a more just and stronger France".

Though the campaign focused on regional concerns such as roads and local jobs, many saw the vote as a referendum on Mr Sarkozy. Polls suggest that in round two, the Socialists or their allies will win the overwhelming majority of France's 26 regions. The Socialists already run 20 of the 22 regions on the French mainland after the last elections in 2004.

The green-minded party Europe Ecologie, riding voter concern about global warming, are expected to align with the Socialists in many regions for the runoff, as will several other leftist parties. The National Front effectively tied for third-place nationally with Europe Ecologie, both with about 12% of the vote.