National Rally
French left keeps Paris, Marseille and Lyon as far right expands mayoral foothold
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France’s left-wing coalitions held the mayoralties of Paris, Marseille and Lyon in the 2026 municipal elections, while Marine Le Pen’s National Rally said it increased its number of mayors to about 70 nationwide. The results also exposed continuing strains inside the left as conservatives and the far right notched gains in smaller and midsize cities.
In the second round of the 2026 Marseille municipal elections, Benoît Payan (DVG) retained the mayoralty with 54.34% of votes, against Franck Allisio (RN) at 40.30% and Martine Vassal at 5.36%. Payan's Printemps marseillais secured six of the city's eight sectors.
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In the second round of the 2026 municipal elections on March 22, the National Rally (RN) and its allies captured 36 towns, adding to 18 won in the first round. Key victories include Nice, Orange, and Montargis, per initial Interior Ministry results.
With less than two months until the municipal elections, Jordan Bardella, president of the Rassemblement National, has revealed quantified ambitions for his party, estimating it could win several dozen communes. Marseille is highlighted as the main target, with candidate Franck Allisio neck-and-neck with incumbent mayor Benoît Payan in polls.
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A recent poll shows an erosion of Marine Le Pen's image among the French, especially RN sympathizers, who prefer Jordan Bardella for the 2027 presidency. Despite her 2025 conviction, RN ideas are gaining ground in public opinion, splitting France evenly between concerns and enthusiasm. The party retains its momentum amid judicial troubles.
In a Le Monde chronicle, Philippe Bernard analyzes how Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella's National Rally adopts a catch-all strategy to appeal to various electorates. This approach, however, masks the violence of its program, focused on rejecting 'enemies from within,' mainly foreigners. Historian Laurent Joly links this to the nationalist DNA of the French far right.