PARIS, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Rightwinger Nicolas Sarkozy has been elected France's new president, unofficial results showed on Sunday.

    Sarkozy, chief of the ruling Union for a Popular Movement (UMP),won 53 percent of the vote, defeating Segolene Royal of the Socialist Party with 47 percent, according to early projections broadcast by French TV channels.

    Jubilant Sarkozy supporters have already begun to celebrate his victory before the voting closed at 8 p.m. (1800 GMT), which has yet to be confirmed by official results later in the evening.