<page_title> 1981 French presidential election </page_title> <section_title> Results </section_title> <table> <cell> Valéry Giscard d'Estaing <col_header> Candidates </col_header> <col_header> % </col_header> </cell> <cell> Union for French Democracy <col_header> Parties </col_header> <col_header> Votes </col_header> </cell> <cell> 14,642,306 <col_header> 2nd round </col_header> </cell> <cell> 48.24% <col_header> 2nd round </col_header> </cell> <cell> François Mitterrand <col_header> Candidates </col_header> <col_header> % </col_header> </cell> <cell> Socialist Party <col_header> Parties </col_header> <col_header> Votes </col_header> </cell> <cell> 15,708,262 <col_header> 2nd round </col_header> </cell> <cell> 51.76% <col_header> 2nd round </col_header> </cell> </table>
In the 1981 French presidential election, Mitterrand and his Socialist Party received 51.76% of the vote, while Giscard and his Union for French Democracy trailed with about 48.24%, a margin of 1,065,956 votes.