France holds first round of municipal elections

On March 15, 2026, France began the first round of municipal elections, with 48.7 million registered voters eligible to elect local representatives in approximately 35,000 municipalities. Polls opened at 8:00 a.m. and are scheduled to close at 8:00 p.m. local time, at which point initial results may be released. By 12:00 p.m., voter turnout was recorded at approximately 20%. The elected councilors will subsequently choose mayors and community leaders for a six-year term. A second round of voting is scheduled for March 22, 2026. Political analysts view these elections as a significant indicator for the 2027 presidential elections. In Paris, Rachida Dati of the Republican Party is challenging the long-standing socialist leadership. Meanwhile, in Marseille, polls suggest a tight race between the candidate of the National Rally, Franck Allisio, and the incumbent left-wing coalition led by Benoît Payan.