France's far-right National Rally (RN) made significant gains in the first round of municipal elections, particularly in southern cities like Marseille and Perpignan. The runoff races scheduled for this weekend will determine control of major cities including Paris, Lyon, and Nice. These local elections are widely seen as a crucial test ahead of next year’s presidential election.
Key Takeaways
France's far-right National Rally made significant gains in the first round of municipal elections, particularly in southern cities like Marseille and Perpignan. Key runoff races will take place in major cities including Paris, Lyon, and Nice. The elections are seen as a crucial test ahead of next year’s presidential election.
- Far-right National Rally makes gains in southern France
- Runoff races to determine control of major cities including Paris, Lyon, and Marseille
- Low voter turnout recorded at 57%, higher than pandemic levels but lower than 2014
- Strategic alliances being formed ahead of the second round
- Presidential ambitions on the line for several candidates
In Marseille, France's second-largest city, incumbent left-wing Mayor Benoît Payan finished the first round neck and neck with National Rally contender Franck Allisio. The RN also appears well-placed in Nice on the French Riviera, where Éric Ciotti emerged as the favorite for the second round. In Perpignan, Louis Aliot won by a landslide, consolidating the party's stronghold in southern France.
In Paris, Socialist candidate Emmanuel Grégoire leads after the first round but faces tough decisions on alliances with the radical left France Unbowed (LFI). LFI's Sophia Chikirou also made it to the second round, and while she hopes for a call from Grégoire about blocking the right, he has ruled out any alliance with her. Meanwhile, conservative challenger Rachida Dati is negotiating an alliance with centrist Pierre-Yves Bournazel despite their bitter criticisms of each other during the campaign.
The radical left LFI outperformed expectations by winning Saint-Denis and is set to gain Roubaix, complicating the mainstream left's electoral calculus ahead of next year’s presidential election. President Emmanuel Macron's centrist camp had modest ambitions but saw former Prime Minister Edouard Philippe perform well in Le Havre, boosting his prospects as a potential centrist candidate for the 2027 presidential race.
Turnout reached just over 57%, higher than in the 2020 vote held during the COVID-19 pandemic but significantly lower than in 2014. The far-right National Rally views next year's contest as its strongest chance yet to take power, with centrist President Emmanuel Macron stepping down after the maximum two terms in office.
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