NEWS ANALYSIS. Almost all the medium-sized cities where Marine Le Pen's Rassemblement National party has made significant gains since 2014 are concentrated in the north and along the Mediterranean coast.

The Rassemblement National aimed to regain a foothold in France's largest cities, hoping to return to municipal councils one year ahead of the presidential election. This gamble…

Awkward choices emerge for mainstream parties after the first round of mayoral elections.