French President Nicolas Sarkozy suffered a national beating by voters who took their frustrations over the economic crisis to the ballot box and clearly favored his leftist challengers in regional elections March 14.

Results showed Socialist and other leftist candidates dominating the first-round vote to choose governments of France's 26 regions. The decisive runoff is March 21.

The far-right National Front party had a stronger-than-expected showing after years in decline, buoyed by voters worried anew about immigration and France's growing Muslim population.

With more than 96 percent of votes counted, candidates from the Socialist and other parties on the left won 53.6 percent of the overall vote, according to the Interior Ministry. Sarkozy's conservative UMP party and others on the right won 39.8 percent.

Many blame Sarkozy for failing to protect jobs amid France's worst economic downturn since World War II. The long-divided Socialists are reaping the benefits of that anger.

Though the campaign focused on regional concerns such as roads and local jobs, many saw the vote as a referendum on Sarkozy.