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French Greens Endorse Benoît Payan in Marseille After Sealing Pact With Printemps Marseillais

Marine Tondelier casts the agreement as the surest way to stop the far right in a race testing as a Payan versus RN matchup.

Overview

  • During a visit on January 21, Marine Tondelier publicly backed incumbent mayor Benoît Payan and announced an agreement she described as “historic” with the Printemps marseillais.
  • Les Écologistes have formally invested Payan for 2026 while negotiations continue over places on the joint list, with a pool of 20 potential Green candidates identified.
  • Tondelier argued only Payan can defeat the Rassemblement National in March and said LFI candidate Sébastien Delogu will not be mayor based on current polling.
  • Citing surveys, Payan and Tondelier point to a near tie between the mayor and RN candidate Franck Allisio around 30%, leaving second‑round scenarios unresolved.
  • A minority of local Greens have aligned with LFI via the Vaï movement, and former Green figure Sébastien Barles is suspended from the party.