A televised debate between Sarkozy and Royal on May 2 is likely to be key to the rest of a campaign that has been fought to a large extent over the personalities of the two candidates.

Both resumed campaigning yesterday, with Sarkozy meeting a woman’s association in Paris before travelling to the eastern city of Dijon for an early evening rally, while Royal goes to Valence in southern France for an open air meeting.

Whoever wins will have to address the deep discontent of a country suffering from one of the highest unemployment rates in Europe and with memories of riots in its deprived multi-ethnic suburbs less than two years ago still raw.

Sarkozy’s victory on Sunday owed much to his success in siphoning off support from far-right leader Jean-Marie Le Pen with a campaign based on fighting crime and illegal immigration, and rewarding hard work.

Le Pen himself came fourth on Sunday with 10.44 of the vote -- his worst showing at a presidential election since 1974.

However, Sarkozy made clear that he would swing to the centre before May 6 in a bid to soften a combative image that delights his supporters but scares many other voters.

On Sunday, he promised a “new dream” around which he would “rally the French people” and promised to help those struggling on low incomes and facing insecurity.

He met outgoing centre-right President Jacques Chirac on Monday and received a message of support for the second round, officials at the Elysee Palace said.

For her part, Royal, whose own campaign was a mixture of left-wing economic policy and conservative social values, is likely to continue painting Sarkozy as a dangerous authoritarian in a bid to make the election a referendum against him.

“Does France want that right in power?” asked the left-wing daily Liberation. “The question is clear.”

Royal, aiming to become France’s first woman president, has faced questions over competence even within her own camp after a campaign in which the media seized on a series of gaffes.

FACTBOX

<B>Five facts about France’s Royal and Sarkozy</B>

Right-wing candidate Nicolas Sarkozy and Socialist Segolene Royal qualified on Sunday for a May 6 run-off ballot for the French presidency, television exit polls showed.

Following are five facts about the two candidates left in the contest to lead France, a nuclear power with a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council and the euro zone’s second biggest economy.

<B>SEGOLENE ROYAL </B>

● Segolene Royal, 53, has risen over the past three years from a largely unknown regional leader to become the first woman to have a serious chance of becoming president of France.

● As a teenager, she broke away from her authoritarian father and throughout her career she has managed to outwit male rivals to reach the top. She worked under former Socialist President Francois Mitterrand, going on to lead the ministries of environment, family and schools.

● Royal says she is a “free” woman in her campaign, promising leftist policies but also breaking with Socialist traditions. She suggested sending young troublemakers to army camp and called on voters to display a French flag on holidays.

● A mother of four, Royal has played up her feminist credentials. Fans say she brings a breath of fresh air to politics, but critics question whether she would be forceful enough to lead France.

● Royal has had to explain her way out of several gaffes during her election campaign, such as not knowing how many nuclear submarines France has and seeming to praise China’s justice system

<B>NICOLAS SARKOZY </B>

● A right-wing former Interior Minister who has led opinion polls since mid-January, Sarkozy is bidding to become the first son of an immigrant to rule modern France. His father comes from Hungary.

● Aged 52, he made his name as a hardliner fighting illegal immigration and crime. Along with national identity, those issues found a strong echo in the latter part of his campaign.

● Briefly finance minister in 2004 he saved engineering giant Alstom from collapse, confounding critics who branded him a rabid free marketeer. Vows to restore full employment in five years, free-up the labour market, encourage French to work more.

● Despite efforts to soften his strident image by showing a more human side, fears of renewed unrest prevented him from campaigning freely in poor districts, whose enmity he earned over his handling of 2005 suburban riots.

● His character became an issue after he suggested a possible genetic link to paedophilia and faced renewed speculation about his marriage due to low profile of his wife Cecilia, his closest advisor.