France’s National Rally Bets on Momentum After Mixed Local Elections

France’s far-right National Rally claimed momentum for the 2027 presidential race after a mixed local-vote night, with wins in Nice and several southern towns but failures to capture marquee cities like Marseille, Toulon and Nîmes; leader Jordan Bardella hailed a “biggest breakthrough” and ongoing local implantation, while critics warned that runoff dynamics could still block a national breakthrough, as polls put Bardella ahead in the first round (about 35%) and traditional parties race to unite against the extremes.