Hollande’s party on track for poll win

French President Francois Hollande’s Socialist Party has won a solid majority of seats in the lower house of parliament, three polling agencies projected last night after polls closed.

The win will probably help Mr Hollande pass tax hikes and spending increases, and bolster him as he pushes other European leaders to invest in stimulus programs to pull the region out of economic crisis.

The TNS-Sofres, Ipsos and CSA agencies estimate that the Socialists would have at least 307 seats in the 577-seat National Assembly after yesterday’s second-round parliamentary elections. That is well over the 289 they needed for a majority, and means they do not have to rely on far leftists to pass legislation.

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The anti-immigrant National Front party was projected to win one to four seats, its first presence in parliament since the 1990s.

Meanwhile French former presidential candidate Segolene Royal is alleging “political treason” after she lost her controversial campaign for a parliamentary seat – quashing her hopes of becoming speaker of the National Assembly.

Royal, a prominent Socialist, is Mr Hollande’s ex-partner and the mother of his four children.

Polling agencies said dissident Socialist Olivier Falorni defeated Royal in yesterday’s balloting in the western Charente-Maritime region as part of nationwide legislative elections won by Socialists and their allies.

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Her campaign became embroiled in controversy last week after Hollande’s current companion -– journalist Valerie Trierweiler – expressed support for Falorni on Twitter, seen by some as a show of jealousy.

The defeat deals an embarrassing blow to the Socialist Party, whose hierarchy had backed Royal’s candidacy.

Markets are worried about growth in government spending when France’s debts are so high.

France’s political direction is important to the rest of Europe because it is the second-biggest economy in the eurozone and contributes heavily to bailouts.