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2d ago

France Votes Sunday in Municipal Races Seen as a 2027 Bellwether

Key contests in Paris, Marseille, Le Havre will test party strategies.

A poster for the list of right-wing candidate Rachida Dati sits next to a poster for the far right Sarah Knafo in Paris. Credit: Olly Haynes
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Jordan Bardella, who might run for president next year, shows up to support his far-right party's candidate in the southern city of Perpignan on February 28

Overview

  • Voters choose mayors and councils in a two-round system, with the first round on Sunday and runoffs on March 22 for lists clearing the 10 percent threshold.
  • In Paris, Socialist Emmanuel Grégoire and conservative Rachida Dati are running neck-and-neck as the Socialists try to defend city hall after 25 years.
  • In Marseille, incumbent Benoît Payan faces National Rally candidate Franck Allisio, with Payan warning a far-right victory would be an “earthquake for the country.”
  • Former prime minister Édouard Philippe seeks re-election in Le Havre while eyeing 2027, after a recent poll suggested Communist rival Jean‑Paul Lecoq could edge him in a runoff and Philippe said defeat would have consequences.
  • The National Rally is fielding slates in roughly 600 communes as it builds local credibility, while the fatal beating of a far-right activist has strained left-wing runoff alliances.