Sarkozy: 'France is back in Europe'

Commission President José Manuel Barroso called Sarkozy to congratulate him and wish him success in his new function. "I want to salute the formidable democratic will of the French people who have massively turned to the polls," said Barroso in a statement, with his congratulations also going to the defeated Royal for her "remarkable campaign" and her "European commitment”.

"This election, I can tell you, has been followed very closely in Europe", he added, "because France matters in Europe."

"I have all confidence in Nicolas Sarkozy...to play a key role in the resolution of the institutional issue," said Barroso.

Sarkozy won praise in Brussels as the best candidate to win a quick agreement on a new 'mini-treaty' to replace the stalled EU Constitution, rejected by French voters in 2005. At meetings in Brussels last year, he said he would like to see a new Treaty adopted during German presidency and ratified without referendum during French presidency in 2008.

"There is relief on the referendum aspect," says a French diplomat in Brussels who underlines that there will be "very strong expectations from France" at the next EU summit in June. With Sarkozy likely to back swift institutional changes, he points out that Poland and the Czech Republic will now focus all the attention to break the EU’s institutional deadlock.

But he said there was concern regarding the strong statements made by Sarkozy against Turkey’s EU membership bid as the country embarks on "a crucial period" of elections. "We risk having to bear the responsibility for degrading relations between Europe and Turkey", the French diplomat said.

François Hollande, head of the Socialist Party and Royal’s partner, said Sarkozy’s election would not mean a break with the past but a "prolongation" and "amplification" of existing policies. He called for the left to "re-found" and "widen" itself to win forthcoming parliamentary elections on 10 June.