5 takeaways from France’s local elections

(Marion Solletty – Politico) Both the far right and far left made strong showings in the first round of France’s municipal elections on Sunday, offering some early clues about which way the political winds are blowing ahead of the all-important 2027 presidential race. Still, it is unwise to draw sweeping conclusions from Sunday’s results because much can change in the second round. Lesser placed candidates are scrambling to form alliances that could change the outcomes dramatically in the March 22 runoff. The National Rally scored well but didn’t deliver the landslides it craved in the south, one of its regional strongholds. In key target cities such as Marseille and Toulon, it now faces major scraps in the second round. Still, several of its candidates garnered more than 40 percent of the vote, something many centrist candidates can only dream of. – 5 takeaways from France’s local elections – POLITICO