Image copyright
EPA
Green candidate Pierre Hurmic (center) has been elected mayor in Bordeaux
France’s Green Party and its left-wing allies have made significant progress in the second round of local elections.
Lyon, Strasbourg, Bordeaux and Besançon voted for the party on a bad night for President Emmanuel Macron.
His centrist LREM party, which has less support at the local level than at the national level, did not win in any major city.
Voters were required to wear face masks under continued measures to stop the spread of the coronavirus, and turnout reached an all-time low.
Only about 40% of the electorate participated in Sunday’s poll. An Elysee palace official said Macron had expressed “concern” about the low numbers.
- France elects first transgender mayor
- Macron challenges closure with a risky choice
The first round of the municipal elections was held two days before the government declared a closure on March 17.
The second round, which was due a week later, was postponed until the last Sunday in June.
What was the results?
Confirming strong displays in the first round, green candidates or Green-backed politicians have won or were about to win in a number of cities such as Lyon, Marseille, Strasbourg, Bordeaux and Nancy.
The center-right newspaper Le Figaro said that “the whole political scene in France has been turned upside down,” while the center-left newspaper Le Monde said the party is now “a great force of opposition” to President Macron.
In Paris, incumbent mayoress Anne Hidalgo, whose socialist party was eliminated nationwide, won comfortably. Another prominent socialist, Martine Aubry, was narrowly re-elected in Lille.
According to reports, mayoral candidates are now on track to lead half of France’s 10 largest cities, a record for the country.
Image copyright
EPA
Annie Hidalgo remains Mayor of Paris, who has been in the hands of the Socialists since 2011
In a rare positive development for Macron, his popular Prime Minister Édouard Philippe was elected mayor of the northwestern port city of Le Havre.
This could lead to a reorganization of the cabinet, although the constitution allows Philippe to appoint a substitute as mayor while he remains in government.
It was also a successful night for the far-right National Rally party, led by 2017 presidential candidate Marine Le Pen.
One of his candidates took the southern city of Perpignan, the largest city the far-right has won since the 1990s. Ms. Le Pen declared a “true victory” on Sunday.
