What are the takeaways of the French municipal elections?
Left-wing coalitions have emerged victorious in several major cities in the French municipal elections. Socialists Emmanuel Grégoire and Benoît Payan won in Paris and Marseille, and in Lyon, the Socialists, Communists and LFI helped the Green mayor Grégory Doucet secure re-election. The far-right populist party Rassemblement National (RN) won in some 30 municipalities.
Fragile unity on the left
Libération sees a left that has achieved partial victory but is more deeply divided:
“The left's success in the country's three largest cities – Paris, Marseille and Lyon – is, of course, very good news for the Socialists and the Greens. ... But in reality the outcome for the left is very mixed. ... Many Socialists have lost their cities despite their alliance with La France insoumise – or perhaps because of it. ... The strategy of division within the left, the constant tensions and the provocations with antisemitic undertones from the LFI leader have shown their limitations this Sunday, particularly in medium-sized cities. ... More than ever, we will have to speak of 'the lefts' rather than 'the left' in future.”
Fragmentation, shift to the right and alliances of interest
La Libre Belgique has learnt three things:
“France is shifting to the right, and this will bring political fragmentation. ... The country will remain structurally unstable and difficult to govern. The second is the normalisation of alliances of convenience. Certain groupings that were deemed inconceivable only yesterday now seem to be obvious tactical choices. ... The third lesson is about the firm footing of the RN at the local level. The far right is profiting from the fragmentation of the political landscape and from the opportunistic alliances of some of the socialists with the LFI. ... Most of the candidates who won on Sunday night are those who secured a broad coalition of support in the first round. Be consistent from the start - that is a key takeaway for 2027.”
Eco promises losing their appeal
L'Opinion examines the Greens' results:
“Grégory Doucet, the Green mayor of Lyon, was re-elected (alongside La France Insoumise), but in many other towns and cities where the Greens had won six years ago, they have now been ousted. One takeaway for 2027: people are no longer inspired by the promise of a different, ecological world. ... The RN is establishing an ever-firmer foothold. So let the battle for the presidency begin.”