François Hollande defeated incumbent Nicolas Sarkozy in the 2012 French presidential runoff, marking only the second time a sitting French president was denied reelection.
Key Facts
- First round date
- 22 April 2012
- Second round date
- 6 May 2012
- Hollande runoff vote share
- 51.64%
- Sarkozy runoff vote share
- 48.36%
- Previous incumbent defeat
- 1981 election (Valéry Giscard d'Estaing)
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Incumbent President Nicolas Sarkozy sought a second five-year term under the French Constitution, but faced strong opposition from Socialist candidate François Hollande amid public dissatisfaction with Sarkozy's presidency. Neither candidate secured a majority in the first round held on 22 April 2012, necessitating a runoff.
In the second-round runoff on 6 May 2012, François Hollande defeated Nicolas Sarkozy with 51.64% of the vote to Sarkozy's 48.36%. This was only the second time in French Fifth Republic history that a sitting president seeking reelection was denied a second term, and the first such instance since 1981.
Hollande became President of France and, ex officio, co-prince of Andorra. Legislative elections followed in June 2012. The result remained the closest French presidential runoff margin in the single-digit range, a record that held for subsequent elections.
Political Outcome
François Hollande (Socialist) won the presidency with 51.64% of the runoff vote, defeating incumbent Nicolas Sarkozy (UMP) who received 48.36%.
Nicolas Sarkozy (UMP, centre-right)
François Hollande (PS, centre-left)