France's far-right National Rally (RN) party has made significant gains in the country's Senate elections, securing a record 14 seats in the 348-seat upper house. This development comes just months before a presidential election, where RN presidential candidate Marine Le Pen is eyeing a strong chance at power. The party's growth in the Senate is notable, as it has effectively quadrupled its number of seats.
The RN party's success in the Senate elections is a milestone for the party, which first entered the Senate in 2014 with two seats, known then as the National Front. In the 2023 elections, the party won three seats. The recent gains have allowed the party to clear the 10-seat threshold for a Senate parliamentary group for the first time. This achievement has been hailed as a "historic victory" by Marine Le Pen.
Local elected officials vote for new senators for half of the upper chamber every three years, with each serving a six-year term. In the recent elections, nine RN senators were elected, in addition to three who won seats in 2023. Two more senators were elected from RN ally Eric Ciotti's Union of the Right for the Republic (UDR) party. The RN party's president, Jordan Bardella, has stated that the party's senators will form a group with UDR allies.
The RN party's gains in the Senate come as President Emmanuel Macron's second and final term comes to an end. Macron called snap polls in 2024, in which Le Pen's anti-immigration party emerged as the largest single party in the lower-house National Assembly. However, it fell short of a majority and trailed behind the left-wing New Popular Front alliance.
The RN party's growth has been accompanied by controversy, including the recent firing of a policeman from its security team over racist and sexist comments. The party's alliance with other right-wing groups, such as the UDR party, has also been significant. Eric Ciotti quit the right-wing Les Républicains (LR) party in 2024 after calling for an alliance with the far right.
The upper chamber's LR president, Gerard Larcher, is expected to be re-elected next week. Larcher has been president of the Senate for over a decade and has maintained his position despite the recent gains by the RN party. The RN party's success in the Senate elections is seen as a significant step towards the presidential election next year.
The recent Senate elections have been seen as a significant test for the RN party, which has been seeking to expand its influence in French politics. With its gains in the Senate, the party is now poised to play a more significant role in the country's upper house. Marine Le Pen has hailed the results as a "historic victory" and a major milestone for the party.
Key points
- The RN party has secured a record 14 seats in the French Senate, quadrupling its number of seats in the 348-seat upper house.
- The party's gains have allowed it to clear the 10-seat threshold for a Senate parliamentary group for the first time.
- The RN party's success in the Senate elections comes as President Emmanuel Macron's second and final term comes to an end.
