In spite of its failures in the municipal elections in major cities, the RN saw its number of mayors increase in the last elections. From north to south of France, the reasons for its success differ, explained the political scientist.
Patrick Lehingue is a professor emeritus of political science at the Université Picardie Jules-Verne. He publishes, with Bernard Pudal, “From FN to RN: the reasons for success” (PUF editions, January 2026).
After these municipal elections, the National Rally went from 22 mayors to 74. Has it broken its “glass ceiling” in terms of local anchoring?
It’s hard to only see the positive in the performance of different political parties, as the situation varies from city to city and there are many available indicators. The National Rally is no exception, with a mixed result. There has been progress, but it’s lower than in the last presidential or European elections. This contrast can also be explained by the territorial coverage, as in the top hundred municipalities in the country, the RN did not submit a list in eighteen of them. If the progress is certain…
