Here, our panel of French voters react to the final result and look ahead to a Sarkozy presidency. Read their views and send us your comments using the link at the bottom of this page.

Josette Gendreau Clermont-Ferrand "Sarkozy was the only candidate who could be trusted" Helios Chardon Saint Brieuc "We must be pragmatic and give him our support"

Muriel Calvez Quimper "I really did not want to see him as our next president" Hazem Eseifan Paris "He raised expectations and now he must deliver"

The readers' panel has been selected from as wide a cross-section of people as possible and may not be representative of wider public opinion.