History in Pictures- French President Nicolas Sarkozy failed to win re-election, losing to his Socialist rival Francois Hollande on 6 May 2012.

François Hollande won the French presidential election on 6 May 2012, capturing more than 51 percent of the vote to defeat incumbent Nicolas Sarkozy and become France's new president, according to French television. Sarkozy, who held the French presidency since 2007, grabbed 48.1 percent, according to the polls.