French election

A new poll projects France's 2027 presidential election could come down to a run-off between far-right leader Marine Le Pen's camp and hard-left veteran Jean-Luc Melenchon, sidelining President Emmanuel Macron's centrist bloc. Commentators see the projection as a sign of deepening polarisation in French politics, with the mainstream centre at risk of being squeezed out of the second round entirely.

France's far right has made gains in indirect Senate elections, where mayors and local councillors choose half of the upper house's seats. The results point to the National Rally's continued expansion beyond its traditional strongholds. Observers see the vote as another sign of the party's growing normalization and mainstream acceptance in French politics.

Jordan Bardella, president of France's far-right National Rally party, has rejected a media report claiming he made antisemitic remarks, calling the allegation false. The denial was picked up by international outlets including Reuters and U.S. News & World Report. The dispute comes as Bardella is a leading figure in French politics ahead of the next presidential election, with his party seeking to shed its antisemitic image.

New polling on France's 2027 presidential election projects a second-round runoff between Marine Le Pen and Jean-Luc Mélenchon in every scenario tested. French media, including RTL and Valeurs actuelles, are dissecting what a Le Pen–Mélenchon duel would mean, with commentary focusing on the electoral dynamics and weaknesses of each candidate ahead of the contest.

POLITICO has published takeaways from interviews with leading French presidential candidates Marine Le Pen, Jean-Luc Mélenchon and Gabriel Attal. The conversations touched on foreign policy questions including Ukraine, Russia and NATO, offering voters a comparison of where the main contenders stand ahead of the election.

France's far-right National Rally has made significant gains in elections to the French Senate, an institution long dominated by mainstream conservative and centrist forces. The result marks a notable advance for the party of Marine Le Pen in a chamber where it previously held little representation. The surge is being read as another sign of the far right's growing foothold in French institutions following its recent national breakthroughs.

A new poll on France's 2027 presidential election suggests no candidate currently manages to unite French voters ahead of a potential second round. The survey is drawing attention as political parties begin positioning themselves well ahead of the vote, with none of the likely contenders commanding broad national support.

Pope Francis met with victims of sexual abuse and called for 'wise leaders' to take responsibility, comments coming as France prepares for an upcoming presidential election. The meeting and his remarks have drawn attention for linking moral leadership to the political moment, with observers weighing what influence his words may carry on voters.

France's far right has achieved a historic victory in elections to the French Senate, a result with no precedent in the chamber's history. The win marks a significant breakthrough for the nationalist right in an institution long dominated by mainstream conservative and centre-left groups, and is being closely watched for what it signals about the party's growing national strength.

France's far right has made gains in indirect Senate elections, expanding its presence in the upper house of parliament. The results add to the party's momentum in French politics and may complicate President Emmanuel Macron's ability to secure majorities in the chamber, where senators are elected by local officials rather than directly by voters.

Marine Le Pen is polling as the frontrunner for France's 2027 presidential election, according to trending reports. Early surveys suggest the far-right Rassemblement National leader holds a lead over potential rivals, months ahead of the vote. Commentators are debating whether she can convert poll numbers into victory after previous near-misses, and how rivals on the mainstream right and left might unite to block her.

France's far-right National Rally has made significant gains in partial Senate elections, according to The Guardian. The result marks a notable advance for the party in the upper house, where it has historically held little representation. The surge will fuel debate over the far right's growing reach in French institutions ahead of future national votes.

France's far-right National Rally has made significant gains in indirect Senate elections, marking a breakthrough in a chamber where it previously held almost no seats. The result points to the party's growing entrenchment across French political institutions, extending its influence beyond the National Assembly. Observers see it as another sign of the far right's normalisation in French politics, with implications for President Macron's already weakened position.

France's far right has increased its presence in the Senate following indirect elections by local officials, according to France 24. The result adds to recent electoral momentum for far-right parties in the country and is likely to fuel debate over their growing influence in French politics, including their ability to shape legislation and the upper house's leadership.

France's Rassemblement National will form a parliamentary group in the Senate for the first time, having won at least 10 seats in the indirect senatorial elections. The party picked up a seat in Gironde, another in Var, and two in Bouches-du-Rhône. Observers are framing the milestone as a first step toward broader institutional presence for the far right, long marginalised in the upper house.

Former French President Francois Hollande says he would consider standing in the 2027 presidential election if he believes victory is attainable, according to remarks reported in the French press. The Socialist leader's comments fuel speculation about a comeback bid seven years after leaving office, at a time of political uncertainty in France.

France's far-right National Rally announced it has secured enough seats to form a group in the Senate for the first time in its history, following the senatorial elections. The breakthrough would give the party greater institutional weight, speaking time and committee positions in the upper house, and marks a new step in its expansion beyond the National Assembly.

Early results from France's Senate elections indicate the far right will form a parliamentary group in the upper house for the first time. Reaching the threshold required for an official group marks a symbolic breakthrough for the party in an institution long dominated by mainstream conservatives, giving it greater speaking time and committee roles.

French voters are heading to the polls in the 2026 Senate elections, with grand electors in around sixty departments called to cast ballots. The vote is the last nationwide election before the 2027 presidential election, giving it added political weight. French media are providing live coverage of the results and what they mean for the balance of the upper house.

Fabien Roussel, leader of the French Communist Party, has promised to tone down criticism of Jean-Luc Mélenchon during the presidential campaign. His campaign director, senator Ian Brossat, told La Tribune that 'we will not fall into aggression.' The pledge comes as left-wing rivals position themselves for the election, with lingering tensions between the PCF and La France Insoumise.

Jean-Luc Mélenchon publicly celebrated the election of his son-in-law Gabriel Amard to the French Senate, claiming that in every department La France Insoumise scores far higher than its number of grand electors would suggest. He called the result an "auspicious sign for 2027", while also noting that the RN has tripled its presence, fueling debate on the left's and far-right's momentum.

French presidential hopeful Édouard Philippe has unveiled his pension reform plan, proposing to progressively raise the contribution period to 45 years and the retirement age to 65. The announcement lands as a new poll shows French views on budget measures affecting retirees, housing benefits and medical co-payments, making pensions a central issue of the 2027 campaign debate.

Gérard Larcher has won a sixth term as president of the French Senate, prompting French media and commentators to describe him as "unmovable" and "unshakeable". The veteran Les Républicains politician consolidated his grip on the upper house of parliament, underlining his enduring influence in French institutional politics despite shifts in the wider political landscape.

French media report that an American conversational AI, presented by the White House, has stopped denying certain statements by Donald Trump and in some cases contradicts him outright. Outlets including RFI, Sud Ouest and Courrier international are also weighing the episode against the new AI code of conduct signed by major US tech companies, raising questions about political control of chatbots.

Candidates in the French left's Socialist primary faced off in their second televised debate, and the tone was notably combative. Libération's account of the exchange described the candidates as less united than ever, with clashes over strategy and direction underscoring the fractured state of the party ahead of the vote. The debate is drawing close attention as the left weighs who should carry its banner into the next election.

French prosecutors' office (PNF) has laid out the stakes in its requisitions against Rachida Dati: a conviction would cost her her elective mandate as mayor, her status as a serving magistrate, and even her work as a business lawyer, with five years of ineligibility and professional bans under consideration. Commenters are highlighting how sweeping the consequences of a guilty verdict would be for the Justice Minister.

Results for the 2026 French senatorial elections, which renew part of the upper house of parliament, have been compiled and shared with an accompanying results box. The Senate is elected indirectly by grand electors, mayors and local councillors rather than by direct universal suffrage, so coverage focuses on the balance of power between political groups in the chamber.

Emmanuel Maurel is among the candidates taking part in the televised debate for the French left's primary election, broadcast on France 2 and France Inter from 20:40. The debate brings together contenders vying for the left's nomination, and viewers are following the exchanges live as candidates set out their positions ahead of the primary vote.

David Lisnard, the mayor of Cannes and a rising figure on the French right, has secured backing for a possible 2027 presidential run: René Proglio, brother of former Veolia chief Henri Proglio, will help finance his campaign. The report fuels speculation about Lisnard's candidacy as the right searches for a challenger to Macron's camp and the far right ahead of the next election.

Quebecers are casting early ballots in the provincial election, with the economy, language policy and health care topping voters' concerns at advance polling stations. Early turnout gives an initial read on which issues will drive the final result, as parties have spent the campaign competing over cost of living, the future of French-language protections and strains on the health system.

Raphaël Glucksmann is one of five candidates being examined in the French social-democratic primary ahead of upcoming elections. Le Nouvel Obs has published a review comparing the proposals of all five contenders, putting their programmes to the test as left-wing voters weigh who should lead the social-democratic camp.

King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain received French President Emmanuel Macron with full honours during a state visit to Madrid. It is one of Macron's final trips of state before France holds elections. Spanish and French media are covering the ceremony and the political timing of the visit.

New rules in Quebec restrict the circumstances in which election poll workers may communicate with voters in English, a measure tied to the province's French-language framework under Bill 96. The change affects the upcoming Quebec election and has drawn attention from anglophone communities who see it as a constraint on language rights at the ballot box, while supporters frame it as defending French.

The trial of Béziers mayor Robert Ménard opens in Montpellier this Wednesday. The far-right mayor is prosecuted for refusing to marry a foreign national who was subject to an obligation to leave French territory (OQTF). The case has drawn national attention, touching on mayors' duties, immigration policy and the limits of civil disobedience by elected officials, and is widely covered by French media including CNews.

Paris Saint-Germain is drawing attention in Russia after its president publicly called on Aleksander Čeferin to stand again in the election for UEFA president. The appeal puts the French club at the centre of talk about the future leadership of European football, with fans and pundits debating what PSG's intervention means for Čeferin's plans and for UEFA's upcoming vote.