Far-right French president no certainty despite rise of extremesLeftists held onto France's biggest cities, including Paris and Marseille. The right notched wins in several other big cities, while the far right and hard left established a stronger local footprint. After a far-right ally won Nice, he claimed France's fifth largest city as a win for his own party. While a number of left-wing candidates allied with the hard left to strengthen their chances in the runoffs, the tactic did not pay off. The challenge, he said, is finding an arrangement that attracts LFI supporters without letting the hard left dominate such an alliance.

Source: Bangkok Post March 23, 2026 17:27 UTC