NEWS ANALYSIS. With blurring lines between the right and far right, rivalry between the radical left and the Socialists and the fading of the presidential party, the period between the two rounds of the municipal vote is a testing ground for political power balances ahead of the 2027 election.

Ballots in 35,000 villages, towns and cities will be closely watched for signals about party strategies and alliances

Follow the 2026 municipal elections' first-round results in real time with our interactive map, and see which lists are in the lead and which mayors have been directly elected.

NEWS ANALYSIS. The second round will be less promising than hoped for the far right, despite significant gains in cities in the southeast, particularly in Marseille. Leading in…

See the full results in Paris, Lyon, Marseille and other cities where key battles are taking place.

NEWS ANALYSIS. Despite controversies, the radical-left movement scored highly in several major cities. The Socialists, who had distanced themselves from LFI, may now need its help…

EDITORIAL. One year before the presidential election, the reshaping of political life promised by Macronism in 2017 is still underway. The left and the right, both of which are…

NEWS ANALYSIS. With blurring lines between the right and far right, rivalry between the radical left and the Socialists and the fading of the presidential party, the period…

Candidates look for deals with rivals to boost chances as major seats including Paris, Marseille and Lyon appear tight

The 2026 municipal elections have already concluded in the vast majority of French towns, with a mayor being directly elected in the first round. In larger cities, however, the…

Rachida Dati and Pierre-Yves Bournazel agreed to merge their lists of candidates in the hopes of catching up with the left-wing coalition led by Emmanuel Grégoire in the second…

La France Insoumise won Saint-Denis, the largest Paris suburb, in the first round. Yet, the result masks disappointing results in other working-class areas that the radical left…