Paris: Socialist François Hollande has won France presidential elections with 53 percent votes, beating the incumbent French president Nicolas Sarkozy, media reports show.

Mr Hollande, who became the first socialist to win a French presidential election since 1988, voted in the central town of Tulle, his political heartland.

Mr Sarkozy, accompanied by his wife Carla Bruni, voted in a chic district in Paris.

In the first round, Francois Hollande won 28.6% of the vote, ahead of incumbent Nicolas Sarkozy on 27.2%.