France: “Analysis: Socialists try to keep dominance”

AP: “Fresh with a first-place showing in round one of regional elections over President Nicolas Sarkozy’s governing UMP party, France’s Socialists now have a week of deal-making with rival leftist parties to try to secure dominance in the upcoming runoff – and 2 1/2 years to transform its regional success into victory in the 2012 presidential vote.”