(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-03-10 14:07

PARIS -- French President Nicolas Sarkozy's centre-right Union for a Popular Movement (UMP) party suffered losses in the first round of municipal elections in the country on Sunday.

France's President Nicolas Sarkozy (R) waits to cast his ballot in the first round local elections in Paris March 9, 2008. Sarkozy's centre-right Union for a Popular Movement (UMP) party suffered losses in the first round of municipal elections in the country on Sunday. [Agencies]

Exit polls showed the opposition Socialists had retained control of France's second city Lyon, and were likely to maintain control of the capital Paris after the March 16 runoff ballot.

Nationwide, leftist parties received 47.94 percent of the vote in Sunday's elections, and centre-right parties got 45.49 percent.

The turnout was about 65 percent.

The municipal vote was considered the first major electoral test for Sarkozy since he took office in May 2007.