Far-right party fails to win a single region

Marine Le Pen's far-right National Front did not win any region in French elections on Sunday, in a setback to her hopes of becoming a serious presidential contender in 2017.

The regional election runoff, in which the conservatives won seven constituencies and the Socialists won five, was no real victory for either of the two mainstream parties, shaken by the far right's growing appeal to disillusioned voters.

Boosted by fears about security and immigration after the Islamist militant attacks in Paris a month ago that killed 130 people, the National Front, or FN, had won more votes than any other party nationally in last week's first round.