Despite some local rapprochements and voter porosity, there has been no mass movement from the right to the Rassemblement national ahead of the March 15 and 22, 2026 municipal elections. A close associate of Éric Ciotti envisioned a 'reverse republican front' against the left, drawing from the 1983 'thunder of Dreux'. On the RN side, Jordan Bardella indicated openness to discussions for union lists in the second round if faced with an extreme left threat.
The 2026 municipal elections, set for March 15 and 22, show no mass rapprochement between the right and the far-right so far, despite voter porosity and local initiatives. Two months ago, a close associate of Éric Ciotti, president of the Union des droites pour la République (UDR), spoke of a 'reverse republican front against the left', described as '1,000 times Dreux 83', referencing the first second-round alliance between the right and far-right in a partial municipal election in Dreux in 1983, which defeated the left.
This anonymous source stated: 'It’s going to happen, mayors in sub-prefectures, LR [Les Républicains], various right, who want to agree between the two rounds. There are already many who want to deal.' Yet, LR's Paris headquarters would struggle to extinguish such a fire.
At the Rassemblement national (RN), any alliance is conditioned on a threat of an 'insoumise' victory. Jordan Bardella, speaking on BFM-TV on Saturday, February 7, said: 'I am not closed to there being discussions on potential union lists or rally lists in the second round, if there is a danger of seeing the extreme left seize a number of municipalities.'
These stances highlight ongoing tensions within the French right, with no widespread alliances at this stage.
