The 2027 French presidential election begins this year with the municipal elections on March 15 and 22. Now more than ever, local and national issues are intertwined. One of the best examples of this trend can be seen in Le Havre, Normandy, where the left has the opportunity to eliminate a candidate who has already set his sights on the presidential palace. The mayor of the port city, former prime minister Edouard Philippe, has handed that opportunity to Le Havre's left by running for a third local term. On Wednesday, March 11, speaking to Le Parisien daily, the president of the center-right party Horizons reaffirmed a position he had already taken: "If I failed to convince the people of Le Havre, I would have to face the consequences."
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'The tendency to treat a local election as a national test may seem surprising'
The results of the municipal election in that city will therefore be closely watched. But other public figures will also attract attention. François Bayrou, back in southwestern Pau after his failure as prime minister, is also making a big gamble in this election, where he is seeking a third term.
