France's PM plays down significance of local election results

March 16, 2008

Nicolas Sarkozy's right-wing party suffered losses in French local elections Sunday, poll projections showed, in what the opposition Socialists called a "punishment vote" for the reforming president. The vote, the first major test of Sarkozy's popularity since he defeated the Socialist Segelone Royal last May, was seen as a referendum on the achievements of the president whose opinion poll ratings have plummeted. But Prime Minister Francois Fillon said it was impossible to draw national lessons from the local elections and the pace of Sarkozy's reforms would continue unabated. Soundbites from AFPTV.