Voters in France are heading to the polls on Sunday for municipal elections seen as a key barometer of public opinion ahead of next year’s presidential vote. The ballot is widely viewed as a test of the far-right’s strength as many mainstream parties appear to be losing credibility with large parts of the electorate. The euroskeptic National Rally (RN) sees the 2027 presidential contest as its best opportunity yet, especially with centrist incumbent Emmanuel Macron constitutionally barred from running again.
What happens at the French municipal elections?
Citizens will elect thousands of local councillors, who in turn choose mayors for their communes. French electoral law requires party lists to alternate men and women to ensure gender parity. Nearly 49 million people are eligible to vote. If no list wins an absolute majority, a second round is scheduled for March 22. That runoff includes all lists with at least 10% of the vote, creating the potential for unpredictable three- or four-way contests. Polls show security, housing and local taxes among voters’ top concerns. On the mainland, polling stations open at 8 a.m. (0700 GMT) and close between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m., depending on city size, with results expected in the evening. The elections are also taking place in France’s overseas regions and territories.
Why the elections matter
Mayors, who head nearly 35,000 communes from big cities to tiny villages, are among France’s most trusted elected officials. Local election outcomes will reflect residents’ priorities and serve as a measure of national party support. Local councillors also participate in electing senators to the upper house of parliament.
Focus on the far right
Observers will be watching how well the RN performs at the local level. Although it is the largest opposition party in the National Assembly, the RN has so far had limited local footholds. This year it is fielding roughly 650 lists, far more than in previous municipal contests. Thirty-three of the party’s 119 MPs are standing as local candidates, underscoring how important the vote is seen ahead of 2027. Currently, only about a dozen mayors are affiliated with the RN, and the party controls just one city with more than 100,000 inhabitants — Perpignan in the far southeast.
Major contests to watch
The Paris mayoralty is a focal point, where a conservative contender aims to end 12 years of Socialist leadership under outgoing Mayor Anne Hidalgo. Right-wing former Culture Minister Rachida Dati, 60, is seeking to become the capital’s second consecutive female mayor, facing Socialist Emmanuel Grégoire, 48, Hidalgo’s deputy. Their platforms differ sharply: Dati emphasizes law-and-order measures such as arming municipal police and expanding video surveillance, alongside improving cleanliness; Grégoire seeks to build on Hidalgo’s legacy by greening the city with more bike lanes, parks and pedestrian paths and by addressing costly housing. Marseille, France’s second-largest city, is also under scrutiny as the Socialists defend their position against both left-wing rivals and the RN, which would view a victory there as a major breakthrough.
Edited by: Saim Dušan Inayatullah
