French Far-Right: Breakthrough Bid Falls Short | POLITICO

France’s National Rally is seeing gains in several key cities as the country prepares for upcoming elections, though converting increased support into mayoral victories remains a challenge. The party has been on a steady upward trajectory during this election cycle, with polls showing Jordan Bardella, the party’s president, as the frontrunner ahead of next year’s campaign.

Sun Belt Gains for National Rally

In Marseille, National Rally candidate Franck Allisio received 35 percent of the vote, nearly tying incumbent left-wing Mayor Benoît Payan who received 36.7 percent in the first round. This represents a more than 15 percentage point increase for the National Rally compared to the 2020 local election. However, Allisio faces a difficult path to victory, as centrist and conservative forces discuss strategies to defeat him. The conservative candidate who came in third will not be withdrawing from the race, diminishing the likelihood of their votes transferring to Allisio.

In Nîmes, Julien Sanchez of the National Rally secured the most votes in the first round, but will now compete against candidates from the center-right and center-left, who are expected to gain support from voters whose candidates did not advance to the second round.

In Toulon, National Rally candidate Laure Lavalette, a friend of Marine Le Pen, received 42 percent of the vote. However, she is predicted to struggle to gain additional voters in the second round, potentially giving her center-right opponent an advantage.

Party heavyweight and MP Jean-Philippe Tanguy acknowledged the potential for disappointment in Toulon, stating on France Inter radio, “An election is never a done deal.”