French voters began voting on Sunday morning (22) to elect the mayors of Paris, Marseille and more than 1,500 other cities, in elections that will test the strength of the ultra-right and the resilience of traditional parties ahead of next year’s presidential election.
At the head of almost 35 thousand municipalities, from large cities to villages with just a few dozen inhabitants, mayors are the most trusted elected officials.
Many obtained enough votes to be elected in the first round, last Sunday (15), but the fierce disputes in France’s largest cities will go to the second round.
One of the crucial votes will be in Marseille, the second largest city in the country, where the second round pits the ultra-right against the current socialist mayor. If the RN wins, it will be a big victory for the party.
In Paris, opinion polls show that victory – for both the conservatives and the left – is within the margins of error.
Voting starts at 8am and ends between 6pm and 8pm. The results will be released little by little throughout the night.
