In the first round of the French regional elections, the traditionally right-wing Les Républicains received the most votes, exit polls show. Marine le Pen’s right-wing populist Rassemblement National did not perform as well as expected, becoming the second largest party in many regions.
The turnout was exceptionally low: only a third of voters went to the polls.
Third and fourth are the Socialists and the Greens. President Macron’s La République en Marche hardly seems to have happened. The party did not exist at the previous regional elections in 2015 and is hardly organized at the regional level.
There were elections in the thirteen regions into which France is divided. France is a tightly centrally organized country and the regions have little to say. Their competences mainly concern regional public transport and secondary education.
Second round
Le Pen’s party hoped to gain majority in a number of regions, but it appears to have become the largest only in the south-east. A second round will follow next week, and then it must become clear whether the Rassemblement National can take over in this region.
France will hold presidential elections next year. It is expected that these will mainly go between Macron and Le Pen.
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