France's conservative UMP was the big winner in the second round of the country's local elections. The governing Socialists suffered huge losses, while the right-wing National Front also came off worse than expected.
Ahead of the fast-approaching 2017 presidential election, exit polls Sunday evening indicated a huge triumph for former French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who announced his return to politics last September. The conservative UMP will take over 66 to 70 of France's 101 departements, up from 41.
For current President Hollande, however, the second round of local elections was a huge blow to his Socialists who lost approximately half of their previously held 61 departements.
"The French people have massively rejected the policies of Francois Hollande and his government," Sarkozy told UMP supporters on Sunda