PARIS, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Right-wing candidate Nicolas Sarkozy is on track to win Sunday's French presidential run-off as he might have won around 54 percent of the vote, according to estimates published by Belgian media.

    The estimates were in line with the last opinion polls released on Friday which gave 52-year-old Sarkozy a clear edge over 53-year-old Segolene Royal , who is bidding to become France's first woman president. A TNS Sofres survey showed an advantage of nine percentage points in Sarkozy's favor, while an IPSOS poll put Sarkozy at 54 percent against 46 percent for Royal.

    The hardest-fought presidential race in years pitting Sarkozy against left-wing Socialist Segolene Royal has drawn massive participation of voters. By 5 p.m. (1500 GMT), one hour before the majority of the polling stations close, 75.11 percent of the registered voters have cast their ballots on mainland France, said the Interior Ministry.

    The voter turnout rate is the highest since 1965 when Charles de Gaulle was elected president.

    A media blackout has been in place in France since midnight Friday. First results are not expected in France until all polling stations close at 8 p.m. (1800 GMT).

    Earlier in the day, Sarkozy, president of the ruling Union for a Popular Movement (UMP), cast his vote in Neuilly-sur-Seine, a suburb of Paris. Royal voted in Melle, a tiny town some 400 km south of Paris.

    None of the two Elysee hopefuls made a speech after voting. They were both greeted by supporters, who chanted "Nicolas, president" and "Segolene, president" respectively.

    Outgoing President Jacques Chirac has also voted in Sarran, a town in central France.

    Sarkozy and Royal managed to enter the second round run-off after knocking out centrist Francois Bayrou and far right veteran Jean-Marie Le Pen as well as other eight candidates.

    On a mainly sunny day, some 43.5 million mainland voters demanding changes and reforms went to cast their ballots peacefully and orderly, with no incidents reported so far.

    After Royal warned Friday of eruption of violence in case of a Sarkozy election, security has been stepped up in Paris and the suburbs, with 3,000 police on alert for trouble.

    Voters in France's overseas territories and expatriates living in the Americas cast their ballots a day earlier than the mainland.

    No matter who wins the vote, in a change of guard, France will embrace a young president for the next five years. The winner will replace 74 year-old Chirac, who has ruled the country for 12 years.

    The new president takes office on May 17.