France regional elections: Greens hope to win first region in 30 years

Focus is on few close-run races in Pays de la Loire in west and in Ile-de-France

The French Green party stepped up campaigning in the Pays de La Loire on Friday in the hope of narrowly winning its first region in almost 30 years in the final round of elections this Sunday.

But after a record abstention rate in last week's first round of French regional and local departmentales elections - where over 66% of voters failed to turn out across the country - traditional rightwing candidates were expected to hold on to the majority of regions.