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clash of narratives has played out since 8:01 pm on Sunday, March 15: Was the first round of the municipal elections proof that the far-right Rassemblement National (RN) has succeeded in establishing itself locally, as it proclaims? Or did the spectacular scores obtained by the party's incumbent mayors and its candidates in Marseille and Nice mask a more nuanced reality? In truth, the overall map of the RN's municipal election results is difficult to interpret, as it reflects a multitude of local situations more than any broad national trends.
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2026 French municipal elections: Five takeaways from the first round
Setting local variables aside, one phenomenon stood out to RN leaders as they analyzed the results: The wave of support the party saw in the northern Pas-de-Calais department and along the Mediterranean coast contrasted with a mere ripple elsewhere. In these two stronghold regions, the RN won new cities and increased its vote shares compared with recent elections.
