The results of the second round of local elections in France came out as a sensation. The National Front of Marine Le Pen, the party that retained leadership in 6 of the 13 regions after the first round, was defeated. This political force of the extreme right that has sympathy for Russian President Vladimir Putin, secured almost 28 percent of voters, which resulted in only the third place for them. The first and the second were the Republicans, led by ex-president Nicolas Sarkozy, and the Socialist Party, which gained respectively 40.63 and 29.14 percent of votes. And most importantly, the National Front failed to obtain the majority in any of the 13 regions. Moreover, in the region of Nord-Pas-de-Calais-Picardie, where Marine Le Pen herself put her candidacy, the Republican Xavier Bertrand was the winner. “The French people have given a lesson. History will remember that it was here where we stopped the advance of the National Front,” he said to BBC.
Marine Le Pen acknowledged the defeat, noting that the National Front was able to triple the number of its representatives in regional parliaments and become the main opposition force. “Nothing will stop us,” she said.
COMMENTARY
Oleh SHAMSHUR, Ambassador of Ukraine to France, Paris:
“The results of the elections to the regional councils of the 13 French regions, of course, will have a major impact on the political situation in the country. This was the ultimate test of power from the main political parties before the presidential elections that are to be held in spring 2017. Seven regions saw the victory of the right Republicans of Nicolas Sarkozy, five – of the Socialists, and the majority of Corsica voted for the local autonomist party. The outcome for the Republicans was significantly lower than forecasted by experts, and the Socialists managed to avoid a crushing defeat. This was one of the major surprises of the elections that could weaken the position of Sarkozy, including the increase in competition within his own party.
“However, the main intrigue of the elections was associated with the National Front. The far right failed to obtain the lead of any of the regional councils after the second round (which is voted on the majority principle), having won the first round in six regions and gaining about 30 percent of the vote nationwide, beating traditional right and the socialists. The Front has significantly expanded its electoral base, even if compared with the successful elections at the department level (in March past year). The number of the National Front representatives in regional parliaments has also increased – tripled, in fact.
“Thus, we can conclude that in France the two-party system becomes obsolete and is replaced by the three-party rule – with the participation of right-wing radicals. According to many local analysts, Marine Le Pen is very likely to make it to the second round of presidential elections in 2017. However, based on the data of opinion polls, she loses to any of her potential opponents.
“One can hardly speak of a direct influence the results of regional elections would have on the French foreign policy, although the rise of the National Front, unfortunately, indicates that its obscurantist, chauvinist, and anti-European ideas resonate with a certain segment of the French society. Let’s not forget that it is French right radicals who are actively supporting the aggressive policy of Putin’s Russia towards Ukraine.”
