Tantan – France’s far-right party, National Rally, made gains in several small towns during the latest municipal elections, but failed to win major cities.
Led by Marine Le Pen and party president Jordan Bardella, the National Rally had hoped to secure big victories in cities like Marseille, Toulon, and Nîmes. Despite strong first-round results, the party lost all three in the final round. These defeats show that many urban voters remain hesitant to support the far right.
However, the party found success in smaller towns, including Vierzon and Liévin. These wins suggest growing support among working-class and rural voters, areas where the party has been building influence.
Meanwhile, allies of Le Pen also saw success. In Nice, Éric Ciotti, a right-wing figure close to the far right, won the mayoral race.
Divisions were also clear on the left. The hard-left party France Unbowed, led by Jean-Luc Mélenchon, formed alliances with other left-wing groups in some areas. But these alliances had mixed results. In cities like Toulouse and Limoges, left-wing coalitions lost despite strong combined support in earlier rounds.
In contrast, candidates who avoided alliances with France Unbowed performed better. Emmanuel Grégoire won the mayoral race in Paris without teaming up with Mélenchon’s party. Similarly, in Marseille, Benoît Payan held onto his position as mayor after keeping distance from the hard left.
On the center-right, Édouard Philippe secured reelection in Le Havre, strengthening his position as a possible presidential candidate.
These results reveal a deeply divided political landscape in France. The far right is expanding in smaller communities but still struggles in major cities.
The left remains fragmented, with internal disagreements hurting its chances.
And as France moves closer to choosing a successor to Emmanuel Macron, the elections suggest that no single political force has clear dominance.
