All posts tagged: French local elections 2026

France struggles to find political equilibrium – POLITICO

France struggles to find political equilibrium – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

It appears this surge was driven, at least in part, by geopolitical developments — specifically the war in Iran. Based on impressions on the ground, heightened anti-war sentiment seems to have mobilized both the Muslim and young hard-left voters who form the party’s base. The implications of this are significant: Many had written Mélenchon off after a series of scandals and a dip in national polling. But these successes suggest he may yet play an important role in shaping the presidential elections — again — making it difficult for a more moderate left candidate to emerge and possibly even reaching the final run-off alongside the far right. Meanwhile, France’s traditional parties — the center-left Socialists and center-right Republicans — continue to display an unexpected resilience at the local level, despite being nationally sidelined since 2017. Together they dominated a majority of towns, including many of the country’s largest cities, remaining deeply embedded in municipal politics. By contrast, French President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist movement remains conspicuously weak, having failed to establish a meaningful municipal base after …

Far-left Mélenchon seizes momentum in French elections – POLITICO

Far-left Mélenchon seizes momentum in French elections – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

“That’s his strategy,” said a Socialist Party adviser who, like others quoted in this story, was granted anonymity to discuss party politics. “We are capable of taking a dive in elections, but France Unbowed never takes a dive, they never go under 10 percent” in national elections, the adviser said. “But there isn’t a scenario in which he wins in a runoff vote against Bardella.” The difficulty for the moderate left is compounded by the fact that Mélenchon is one of the most charismatic politicians on the left. He has even drawn the reluctant admiration of Le Pen’s niece, Marion Maréchal, who called him “the most cultured” politician around. But what’s true of the left is also to some extent true of the conservatives and the center right, which are enmeshed in internal squabbling to see who can assume Macron’s mantle. “What are the political offers on the table and who is there to embody them?” asked a close ally of the French president. “I can see what the extremes are offering, but in between, …

5 takeaways from France’s local elections – POLITICO

5 takeaways from France’s local elections – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

The prime example is the northern city of Lille, where the France Unbowed candidate was by one projection in a tie with the incumbent center-left mayor. France Unbowed is also on track to come in first in Roubaix, a populous, working-class city on Lille’s outskirts. The party’s prospects in this contest were very much in question after a controversy surrounding the death of a far-right activist last month. But France Unbowed’s strategy of focusing on young voters and working-class urban populations, often of immigrant descent, is delivering despite repeated controversies, particularly accusations of antisemitism against Mélenchon. “This election confirms that there is a strong France Unbowed constituency in big cities,” said Jean-Yves Dormagen, a political scientist and head of polling institute Cluster17. Dormagen also highlighted the highly polarized and fragmented nature of France’s political landscape, confirmed by Sunday’s results. In many cities, up to four or five candidates qualified for the runoff, a situation that used to be an exception a few years ago. Moderate left will have a few headaches This fragmented political landscape is inflicting …

French local elections — live updates – POLITICO

French local elections — live updates – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

PARIS — It’s election day in France, where voters across the country’s 35,000-plus communes will choose new mayors and city councilors for the first time in six years. The contests, many of which will require a runoff vote next Sunday, are expected to be an important indicator of voter sentiment heading into next year’s high-stakes presidential election — though plenty of races will be driven by local issues and personalities. Read on for the latest information in the races and the ensuing political horse-trading expected to take place once results are in. For a more in-depth primer, check out our guide on how to watch the elections like a pro. Source link

How to watch Sunday’s vote like a pro – POLITICO

How to watch Sunday’s vote like a pro – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

Marseille, France’s second city, is. And the incumbent center-left candidate there faces a serious challenge from the National Rally. Other southern cities such as Nice, Toulon and Nîmes are also far-right targets, so keep an eye on those to get a sense of whether voters are ready to hand Le Pen or Jordan Bardella the keys to the Elysée next year. MARSEILLE LOCAL ELECTION POLL OF POLLS For more polling data from across Europe visit POLITICO Poll of Polls. Le Havre should be on your watch list too, because it’s former Prime Minister Édouard Philippe’s home base. Philippe is the mayor and is running for reelection before he sets his sights on the presidency in 2027. He’s seen as one of the strongest candidates to take on the far right, but polling suggests he faces a make-or-break battle to hold on to Le Havre. On the left, the Greens risk losing several of the big cities they picked up six years ago, such as Bordeaux or Lyon, which could further weaken the party after a string of underwhelming …

Bardella’s main rival for French presidency risks crashing out of race – POLITICO

Bardella’s main rival for French presidency risks crashing out of race – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

It will also be a grave personal disappointment for Philippe, who has long held ambitions to run for the Élysée. As prime minister from 2017 to 2020 he steered France through the Covid pandemic, but was ultimately sidelined by Macron when the president wanted to give his government a “new direction,” a decision that many in the administration believed was due to Philippe’s higher popularity ratings. This month’s local elections are an opportunity to launch his campaign ahead of the 2027 presidential race. But Philippe now risks slipping up before he even reaches the starting line. A shock poll from OpinionWay landed last month and predicted that Philippe could be squeezed out by the far right and far left in the second round of the contest in Le Havre. Philippe was seen winning only 40 percent, pipped by the Communist Jean-Paul Lecoq on 42 percent. Franck Keller, backed by the RN, was set to win 18 percent. Former Prime Minister Édouard Philippe could see his presidential ambitions dashed if he doesn’t get the backing of …

Le Pen’s far right eyes local elections as launchpad for French presidential bid – POLITICO

Le Pen’s far right eyes local elections as launchpad for French presidential bid – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

The race to lead Toulon carries particular significance given the Mediterranean port city elected a far-right mayor, Jean-Marie Le Chevallier, in the mid-1990s, and remains the most populous city ever to put the party in charge. But Le Chevallier’s tenure was largely seen as a failure and he scored fewer than 8 percent of the vote when he ran for reelection.   The race to lead Toulon carries particular significance given the Mediterranean port city elected a far-right mayor, Jean-Marie Le Chevallier, in the mid-1990s. | Veronique Tournier/Hans Lucas/AFP via Getty Images Marc Bayle, a former regional politician and expert in Toulon’s politics, said the Le Chevallier administration still carries “an image of incompetence and disorganization” that impacts how voters there view the far right.  So despite strong scores in Toulon during national elections, the National Rally’s candidate there — party spokesperson Laure Lavalette — is not using the party’s name while campaigning. Instead she’s promoting herself as a local candidate with cross-partisan support. “For political commentators and voters with a longer political memory, the National Rally’s past experiences in power are important … But for …