French municipal elections held Sunday gave political parties an early test of their electoral machines ahead of the 2027 presidential election to succeed President Emmanuel Macron, whose second and last term ends that year.
Although the vote was largely focused on grassroots concerns, the results were being closely watched for signals about how parties might perform in 2027, including whether the far-right National Rally continues to build momentum.
More than 904,000 candidates competed for municipal posts in roughly 35,000 villages, towns and cities across France. In places where no candidate secures a clear outcome in the first round, a second round of voting is scheduled for next Sunday to determine final results.
Attention turned to races in key cities, where polling agencies’ projections pointed to potentially suspenseful second rounds. In Paris, projections indicated that multiple candidates could advance to a runoff, with official results expected later Sunday night.
Incumbent Socialist Mayor Anne Hidalgo, elected in 2014 and reelected in 2020, decided against seeking a third term. The AP said Hidalgo had steered the French capital through extremist attacks in 2015 and the Paris Olympics in 2024.
Marseille, France’s second-largest city, also drew national focus. Incumbent left-wing Mayor Benoît Payan was facing a stiff challenge from National Rally candidate Franck Allisio, with officials and analysts watching whether the contest would produce an uncertain second round.
Projections also pointed to a strong showing for the National Rally candidate facing a runoff in Toulon, a major naval base. In Nice, the AP said RN ally Eric Ciotti had a projected first-round lead, as attention looked toward outcomes in other Mediterranean port cities.
National Rally leader Jordan Bardella said voters expressed what he described as “a deep desire for change” and pressed for additional support in the second round. “In 7 days, your vote can change the face of many French towns,” he said, adding: “Change isn’t waiting for 2027. It starts next Sunday.”
Socialist Party leader Olivier Faure urged voters not to hand momentum to the National Rally as it prepares its effort to win the presidential Élysée Palace next year. “The march of the extreme right to the Elysee isn’t inevitable,” he said, adding: “As soon as next Sunday, we can — we must — create new hope for 2027.”
Beyond the first-round results, the AP said National Rally performances were being studied for signs that the party could be hurt by the prospect that Marine Le Pen might be barred from seeking the presidency again in 2027. Last year, a French court convicted Le Pen of embezzlement and prohibited her from seeking public office for five years; she is hoping an appeals court clears her in a verdict set for July 7, with the AP saying a ruling against her could derail her presidential ambitions.
In towns and cities where three, four or more candidates were projected to advance from the first round, the AP said “horse trading” over the coming days could lead some teams to pair up or drop out, narrowing second-round fields.
Elsewhere, the AP reported that in Le Havre, former Prime Minister and incumbent Mayor Édouard Philippe came out on top in the first round, according to official results. It said a runoff win against two other candidates who advanced could give Philippe a platform for an expected campaign for the presidency.
The report said international concerns, including the Iran war and its impacts, notably on fuel prices, somewhat drowned out campaigning. It also cited comments from Jérôme Fourquet, director of the opinion department at IFOP, who said U.S. President Donald Trump and other factors diverted the spotlight from mayoral races, telling Le Parisien: “We now live at the rhythm of announcements from Trump and of strikes in the Middle East,” and, “In this context, there has been very little bandwidth for the municipals.”
Oleg Cetinic in Garches, France, and Jeffrey Schaeffer in Paris contributed to the reporting.