On Sunday 22nd, the French voted in the second round of the local elections, the last major vote before the 2027 presidential elections. The first thing to note is the high abstention rate (over 42%). There was also the predictable rise of the National Rally (far right), which quadrupled its number of councillors across the country and won the mayoralty of Nice, France’s fifth-largest city. On the other side, La France Insoumise (radical left) also made a breakthrough, at the cost of divisions and disputes with other left-wing parties. Alliances and thresholds with or against the ‘extremes’ have punctuated the final days of the campaign, setting the tone for the tense and uncertain electoral year ahead for the French. This election shows, however, that the ‘traditional’ and more moderate parties – Les Républicains (right-wing), the centre and the Socialist Party (left-wing) – remain in the majority across the country. In particular, the PS won the Paris mayoral seat, and the major cities of Marseille and Lyon also remain in left-wing hands. A victory overshadowed the following morning by the death of Lionel Jospin, Prime Minister of France between 1997 and 2002, a highly respected figure on the left.

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  France: lessons from the local elections - Nardi (Italie / Italy)
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  France: lessons from the local elections - Chappatte (Suisse / Switzerland)
  Town Hall – Whoever the next mayor is... It’s all their fault!
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  France: lessons from the local elections - Ramsés (Cuba)
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  France: lessons from the local elections - Vadot (Belgique / Belgium)
  Jordan, he’ll stop at nothing – We are the bulwark against extremism and anti-Semitism! – I’m completely lost… But that’s just a minor detail.
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  France: lessons from the local elections - Urbs (France)
  Ciotti: measures already in place for Nice City Hall – the doors will need to be widened
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  France: lessons from the local elections - Dilem (Algérie / Algeria)
  Alliances on the left don’t always work out – even though we followed the instructions - PS - LFI
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  France: lessons from the local elections - Sanaga (France)
  And now, rebuilding the left – I’ve brought the glue – Oh no, I’ve brought the glue – I’m the glue! – I am the glue – My glue – My glue
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  France: lessons from the local elections - Kak (France)
  Let’s stay calm. I’m sure a natural leader will eventually emerge. - Absolutely. - Right & Centre 2027
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  France: lessons from the local elections - Herrmann (Suisse / Switzerland)
  Paris City Hall: Rachida Dati has been ousted
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  France: lessons from the local elections - Piet (France)