WORLD NEWS: Municipal: the left retains Paris, Marseille and Lyon, the RN wins in several small towns
France Municipal Elections 2026: Surprises, Re-elections, and Historic Breakthroughs
March 22, 2026 – Updated 9:44 p.m.
The second round of municipal elections in France brought unexpected results, marking historic victories, surprising defeats, and reinforcing local political trends. Participation stood at 48.10% by 5 p.m., slightly lower than in 2014.
Re-elections and Expected Victories
- Édouard Philippe, former Prime Minister, was re-elected mayor of Le Havre with around 47% of the votes (provisional).
- In Lille, socialist incumbent Arnaud Deslandes won decisively, while Franck Allisio of the RN failed to make significant gains.
- Benoît Payan was re-elected in Marseille, keeping the left, outside LFI, resilient against RN advances.
- Grégory Doucet, environmentalist mayor of Lyon, was re-elected with 53.1%, defeating Jean-Michel Aulas.
“This result allows us to continue developing local policies with confidence,” Doucet said, emphasizing the support of the left-environmentalist alliance.
Defeats and Surprises
- In Pau, former Prime Minister François Bayrou was defeated by socialist Jérôme Marbot, who won by only 344 votes.
- Marbot, a 50-year-old lawyer specialized in public and environmental law, obtained 42.45% of the vote against Bayrou’s 41.14%.
- This marks a major setback for Bayrou, six months after leaving office.
“We beat François Bayrou,” Marbot declared on France 3, highlighting the unity of the left in overcoming the MoDem president.
- In Paris, former minister Rachida Dati failed to capture city hall, which remained with Emmanuel Grégoire (PS-Les Ecologistes-PCF), victorious with 53.1%.
- Grégoire led comfortably, while Dati garnered 38% and Sophia Chikirou (LFI) 8.9%.
“I did not succeed in convincing enough that change was necessary,” Dati admitted, criticizing the “poison of division” during the campaign.
RN Achieves Historic Breakthrough
The Rassemblement National (RN) celebrated what its leader, Jordan Bardella, called “the greatest breakthrough in its history.”
- Symbolic victories in Menton, Castres, and Liévin, a traditional left-wing stronghold, strengthened RN’s presence in multiple municipalities.
“Never have RN and its allies had so many elected officials across French territory. These successes are not an outcome, but a beginning,” Bardella said in a televised address, one year before the presidential election.
Key Regional Results
- Bastia: Gilles Simeoni won with 44.4%, leading a coalition of autonomists and socialists.
- Avignon: Former journalist Olivier Galzi (DVD) triumphed with just over 40%, ending 14 years of socialist management.
- Saint-Étienne: Socialist Régis Juanico was elected, confirming a leftward swing.
- Rouen: Nicolas Mayer-Rossignol (PS) re-elected with 48.14%, defeating Marine Caron (Horizons), Maxime Da Silva (LFI), and Grégoire Houdan (RN).
- Nantes: Johanna Rolland (PS-LFI) re-elected with 54.6%, beating LR candidate Foulques Chombart de Lauwe (45.4%).
Political Analysis
- Marine Tondelier (Les Ecologistes) criticized “supporters of irreconcilable lefts,” blaming LFI and PS for the failure of certain union lists.
- Olivier Faure (PS) warned that internal division is “an outrageous provocation” and called for left unity.
- Bruno Retailleau (LR) defended “another path” between LFI ideologues and RN demagogues.
Voter Turnout and Context
- Turnout at 8:33 p.m.: 20.33%, slightly higher than the first round.
- Estimated final participation in the second round: 57%, lower than in 2014.
- First results were expected from 8 p.m. onward.
Conclusion: The 2026 municipal elections reveal a fragmented political landscape in France: left-wing victories in major urban centers, historic gains for the RN in traditionally leftist areas, and symbolic defeats for figures like François Bayrou and Rachida Dati. These results set the stage for a critical year ahead of the 2027 presidential elections.
Analysis and Perspective:
This development could have far-reaching consequences for global politics in the months ahead.
As the situation continues to evolve, analysts are closely watching for further developments.
Stay tuned for more updates as this story continues to unfold.
Source: This article was originally published in another language by France 24 – Infos, news & actualités – L’information internationale en direct and has been translated and adapted for our global English-speaking audience. Read the original article here.