France's conservatives take control of parliament

PARIS (AP) -- France's leftist parliament became the latest casualty in Europe's rightward shift with a crushing legislative victory by France's mainstream right that gives President Jacques Chirac full control of parliament.

The right, led by Chirac's Union for the Presidential Majority, a coalition of rightist parties put together to win votes, captured 384 of the National Assembly's 577 seats in the Sunday election, the Interior Ministry said Monday, issuing provisional results.

The left, from Communists to Socialists to Greens, won only 171 seats -- a stinging blow that put the left in the opposition for the first time in five years. The left held 318 seats in the outgoing parliament.

Final results from the voting -- marked by a record low turnout of 61 percent -- were not expected until Tuesday or Wednesday. They will include results from France's overseas territories.

Prime Minster Jean-Pierre Raffarin was confirmed Monday.