Paris - The far-right's surprise loss of its only parliamentary seat in the southern stronghold of Toulon this weekend was hailed yesterday as a victory for French democracy and a major setback to the ambitions of the increasingly powerful National Front.
"This was not a victory for the Socialists, nor a victory for the united left," said Mr Francois Hollande, the Socialist Party general secretary. "It was a victory for all those who really wanted to deal a blow to the National Front."
