US EditionFrench Municipal Elections: Left Holds Major Cities, Far Right Gains Nice
The Socialist Party held Paris and Marseille amid far-right National Rally advances in smaller towns like Nice and Perpignan, with 57% voter turnout reported by officials.
- On Mar 22, 2026, exit polls showed the National Rally fell short of Marseille and Toulon, Emmanuel Grégoire beat Rachida Dati in Paris, and Edouard Philippe was re-elected in Le Havre.
- After the first round, tactical withdrawals and alliances, including Sebastien Delogu's Marseille pullout, reshaped contests in about 1,500 communes and harmed the RN's chances.
- In provincial contests, the RN retained strength in towns like Perpignan, Montargis, Carcassonne, and La Seyne-sur-Mer, while overall turnout stood at 57 per cent.
- Jordan Bardella said 'The National Rally and its candidates have achieved tonight, in this municipal election, the biggest breakthrough in its entire history', while Olivier Faure claimed the night showed hope for the left.
- Senior figures on the mainstream right warned they must unite to win next year's presidential election, while local ballots are watched as mood gauge and Edouard Philippe, former Prime Minister and Le Havre mayor, secured his conditional presidential run.
140 Articles
140 Articles
Elections in France : Not what the NY Times wanted you to think
For a few weeks, readers of the NY Times have been treated to articles warning of a wave of right-wing victories coming in France. How municipal elections in Marseille will be a bellwether for the far right (RN; National Rally) to take over the nation....
Leftists Hold Onto Power in France’s Big Cities
The Socialist Party’s Emmanuel Grégoire won the Paris mayoral election yesterday evening – while leftwing victories in Marseille, Lille and Lyon warded off France’s far-right party National Rally (RN). In Paris, Grégoire has vowed to build 60,000 new social and affordable housing units to combat the overuse of residential homes as tourist lets. He also plans to build more cycle lanes and improve the condition of the River Seine. “I’m thinking o…
France's socialists victorious in major cities in blow to far-right
It was a largely successful night for the Left in France as they held on to power in all four of the country’s biggest cities in this weekend’s local elections. On Sunday, voters went to the polls in over 1,500 towns and cities in the second round of municipal elections for mayors and local councils. Just like here in the UK, the elections are watched closely to gauge party popularity and opinion, and with the presidential election taking place …
The election victory of the socialists allied with the Greens in Paris and Marseille conceals successes of right-wing parties in smaller cities. There is a change of power in favour of the right-wing populists in Nice.
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 36% of the sources lean Left, 36% of the sources are Center
Factuality
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