Benoît Payan re-elected Marseille mayor despite RN breakthrough

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.

On March 23, 2026, following the second round of municipal elections, Marseille is undergoing a significant political reconfiguration. Outgoing mayor Benoît Payan, backed by Printemps marseillais (PM), was re-elected with 54.34% of votes, well ahead of Rassemblement national's (RN) Franck Allisio at 40.30%. Martine Vassal garnered only 5.36%, while Sébastien Delogu (LFI) withdrew from the race. This win strengthens PM's hold in the city center and north, capturing the 13th and 14th arrondissements previously held by the right. The RN positions itself as the second local political force, with a breakthrough in the south-east of the Phocaean city. Traditional right-wing presence has virtually vanished from Marseille's electoral map.

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Split-scene photo illustration of tensions in Benoît Payan's left-wing camp and Franck Allisio's controversial RN proposals in Marseille elections.
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Internal tensions in Payan's camp and controversial proposals by Allisio in Marseille

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In Marseille, the submission of electoral lists by outgoing mayor Benoît Payan has sparked tensions within his left-wing majority, with sidelined deputies denouncing brutal decisions. Meanwhile, RN candidate Franck Allisio, polling at 34% of voting intentions, presented priority measures including an 'anti-thugs pass' for parks and beaches. These developments come two weeks before the first round of the 2026 municipal elections.

During a televised debate on BFMTV Thursday evening, candidate Martine Vassal claimed values including «work, family, homeland», the Vichy regime's slogan, prompting Benoît Payan's reaction calling it Pétain's motto. The outgoing mayor also stated he would withdraw from the race if he trailed Sébastien Delogu in the first round to block the RN. One month before the municipal elections, a poll places Payan ahead with 31% of voting intentions.

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With less than a month until the first round of Marseille's municipal elections, former mayor Michèle Rubirola still does not know her position on the list led by Benoît Payan. A symbol of the Printemps marseillais victory in 2020, the ecologist doctor is actively involved in the campaign despite the uncertainty. She proudly defends the municipality's record while managing a painful knee.

Socialist Emmanuel Grégoire won the Paris municipal election runoff on March 22, 2026, with 50.52% of votes against Rachida Dati (41.52%) and Sophia Chikirou (7.96%). An arrondissement analysis reveals a divided capital with minimal shifts, while Dati blames divisions on the right and center for her defeat.

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Two weeks before the candidacy deadline, the charter launched by the Rassemblement National (RN) to rally right-wing mayors has been signed by only a few dozen elected officials. This initiative, aiming to secure their support in exchange for programmatic commitments, is seen as disconnected from local realities. Julien Sanchez, the RN's campaign director, had boasted of its potential success in December 2025.

Périgueux's outgoing socialist mayor, Emeric Lavitola, is running for a second term in the March 15, 2026, municipal elections, backed by a broad coalition of left-wing parties. He faces a divided right, with two former allies competing for centrist and right-wing votes, while the National Rally struggles to complete its list.

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One month after the March 15 and 22 municipal elections, several newly elected or re-elected French mayors have raised their allowances and those of their deputies. This practice, seen in Bordeaux, Roubaix, and Perpignan, draws criticism despite legal framing. It spans political affiliations.

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