French Cities Vote for Mayors in Test for Far Right Ahead of Presidential Election
PARIS (AP) – French voters are heading to the polls Sunday to elect mayors in Paris, Marseille, and over 1,500 other cities and towns, in a vote widely seen as a bellwether for the strength of the far right and potential alliances ahead of next year’s presidential election.
The second round of voting comes after a first round last weekend, with run-offs required in approximately 1,500 communes. The local elections are being closely watched for indications of the national mood and potential shifts in the political landscape as President Emmanuel Macron nears the end of his second term.
In Paris, the race is particularly tight between Emmanuel Gregoire, a former deputy of outgoing Socialist mayor Anne Hidalgo, and Rachida Dati, a right-wing ex-minister. Dati, a protégé of former President Nicolas Sarkozy, aims to lead Paris for the right after 25 years of leftist control and become the city’s second female mayor in a row. She has gained momentum after several candidates dropped out of the race, though Gregoire has refused support from a hard-left contender, potentially splitting the leftist vote.
The southern city of Marseille is also a key battleground. While the left is expected to retain control there, the far right has made significant inroads. Marine Le Pen’s National Rally (RN) party is hoping for gains beyond its existing foothold in the south of France, where it already controls Perpignan, a city of 120,000 inhabitants. The RN also secured victories in 14 other districts in the first round. In Toulon, a city of 180,000, the RN candidate won the most votes and is poised to potentially gain control of the largest city under the party’s leadership to date. RN candidate Franck Allisio came within a single percentage point of incumbent Benoit Payan in Marseille last week.
The stakes are high as the far right seeks to capitalize on local momentum before the 2026 presidential election. Le Monde newspaper noted Friday that the results of this local ballot will offer “valuable insight into the mood of the French public.”
Elsewhere, Edouard Philippe, the current mayor of Le Havre and a declared presidential candidate, is expected to win re-election. He is considered a strong potential opponent to either Le Pen or her lieutenant, Jordan Bardella, in the upcoming presidential race.
Turnout in the first round was 57 percent, the lowest in local elections barring the pandemic-affected 2020 vote.
(France 24 with AFP)
