With 99.9 % of ballots counted, socialist Francois Hollande has 28.61 ½ of the Frenc elections 2012, while his main rival conservative President Nicolas Sarkozy comes second with 27.08 %, France Interior Ministry declared on Monday.

Paris / NationalTurk – Far-right candidate Marine Le Pen came third in the France elections with 18.05 %, beating far-left firebrand Jean-Luc Melenchon, who scored 11.12 %. Centrist Francois Bayrou was fifth with 9.11 %.

The five other candidates received minimal support of 2 % in the France elections 2012 or less.

French Interior Minister Claude Gueant stated no major incidents were reported during Sunday’s elections.

The France elections turnout was about 80%, one of the highest results in the history of the Fifth Republic, founded by France general Charles de Gaulle in 1958.

France Elections 2012 : Sarkozy knocked out

The France Interior Ministry is set to publish official election results before 20:00 local time on Wednesday.

Election surveys in France made after polling stations closed on Sunday show that Hollande is likely to pass Sarkozy in the France elections 2012 runoff.

A survey by CSA, conducted for the BFMTV channel, RMC radio station and the 20 Minutes newspaper, says that Hollande will receive 56 ½ and Sarkozy – 44 ½.

An Ipsos survey for France Television, Radio France and Le Monde gives slightly difference figures of 54 % for Hollande versus 46 percent for Sarkozy.

Ifop says in its survey for Europe 1 radio station, Paris Match magazine and Public Senat TV channel that Hollande and Sarkozy will get 54.5 and 45.5 %of the vote, respectively.