`This is victory for Paris residents`

``Parisians freely decided in favor of a change of power,`` said left-wing candidate Bertrand Delanoe, 50, after he was elected mayor of Paris in the second round of municipal elections on Sunday.

Delanoe`s victory attracted worldwide attention owing to the fact that he is openly gay and the first leftist mayor of the city in 130 years.

Kim Se-Won claire@donga.com