French political parties are rushing to forge tactical pacts ahead of this weekend’s last round of municipal elections, after notable advances by both the far‑right and the radical left.
The Sunday runoff for mayors and councilors in key cities such as Marseille, Lyon and Paris is projected to be tightly contested.
The second‑round of the local polls is regarded as a pivotal gauge of party tactics and coalitions before next year’s presidential contest.
President Emmanuel Macron’s two‑term tenure ends in spring 2027, leaving open the question of who will steer Europe’s second‑largest economy.
In Paris, following the weekend’s first round, Socialist Emmanuel Grégoire held a clear lead over former culture minister Rachida Dati, who nevertheless maintained that she could still wrest the capital from the left after a quarter‑century of its rule.
Dati spent Monday seeking a partnership with centrist Pierre‑Yves Bournazel to improve her prospects, even though the two had exchanged harsh criticisms during the campaign.
In a campaign‑time book titled *The Battle for Paris*, Bournazel portrayed Dati’s tenure as justice minister as “inebriated with narcissism”.
She retorted that he embodied “the physical incarnation of the stupidest right in the world”.
He later asserted his opposition to the “brutalisation” of politics.
On Monday night, Bournazel told AFP that he and Dati would combine forces.
In September, Dati is scheduled to stand trial in Paris on accusations of corruption and abuse of power.
Prosecutors allege she lobbied for the Renault‑Nissan automotive group while serving as a Member of the European Parliament.
She has rejected all charges.
Grégoire, speaking on Monday, highlighted the upcoming trial and warned that Dati exemplified the “Trumpisation” of political life, adding that an alliance between her and Bournazel “made no sense”.
Meanwhile, Sarah Knafo, a European Parliament member for the far‑right anti‑immigration Reconquest party, achieved notable gains in affluent western districts of Paris, securing 10 % of the vote – enough to reach the second round.
This marks a first for Paris, which has historically seen only modest far‑right results in local contests.
Knafo’s partner is television commentator Éric Zemmour, founder of Reconquest, who has convictions for inciting racial hatred.
Sophia Chikirou, the candidate of the radical‑left La France Insoumise (LFI) led by Jean‑Luc Mélenchon, also qualified for the Paris second round and said she awaited Grégoire’s signal on how best to block the right.
However, Grégoire, who is campaigning for a “left union” that would bring together Socialists, Greens and other progressive forces, has dismissed any cooperation with Chikirou.
Mélenchon’s party, which over the past decade has not emphasized a strong local footprint, fielded more candidates this cycle and is expected to secure a number of council seats.
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