How Do You Say ‘Landslide’ In French?

I dunno, can't speak it myself; my ancestors had the good sense and class to get thrown out of France centuries ago. But I'll bet the new slang word for it will be 'Sarkozy'. His party just shellacked the socialists in the first round of parliamentary voting. They appear to be heading toward taking 501 of 577 seats.

One month after Sarkozy's presidential election victory over the Socialist Segolene Royal, his UMP party and its allies were projected to win up to 501 of the 577 seats in the National Assembly, handing him a clear mandate for change.

Based on estimates after the close of polls, the Union for a Popular Movement and its centrist allies were predicted to secure 383-501 seats after next Sunday's run-off. The UMP holds 359 seats in the outgoing lower house.

Prime Minister Francois Fillon urged French voters to turn out en masse next Sunday to give his government "a majority to act".

"The drive is there, but it can only take shape through a large, coherent presidential majority, determined to move forwards," said Fillon, who was elected in the first round in his home constituency in western France.

Confident of another electoral triumph, Sarkozy has promised a special parliamentary session in July to push through reforms including tougher sentencing rules, restrictions on immigration and more autonomy for universities.

In disarray following Royal's defeat, the main opposition Socialist Party (PS) faced the prospect of another humiliating ballot box drubbing.

Projections from polling firms showed the Socialists could lose more than half of their 149 seats.

In the worst case scenario it will sink to depths last plumbed in 1993, when it returned just 67 law-makers — although other projections suggested it could return as many as 170 deputies.

Well, if it holds through the odd voting methods they use there, it looks like Sarkozy just got his mandate to change things in France.