Marseille, France – Leftist incumbent Benoit Payan and National Rally candidate Franck Allisio are locked in a virtual tie following the first round of Marseille’s mayoral election, according to exit polls released Sunday. The closely contested race in France’s second-largest city is being closely watched as a bellwether for the 2027 presidential election, with the far-right National Rally seeking to demonstrate its growing strength beyond its traditional strongholds.
The results indicate a significant challenge to traditional political forces in Marseille, a city grappling with issues of security and urban decay. Franck Allisio, campaigning on a platform of restoring order, has gained traction with voters concerned about rising crime rates. Nathalie, a market trader in Marseille, told the Guardian she felt the National Rally was now a good choice, citing recent thefts and concerns for elderly residents. “We’ve never tried them, so now People can give them a chance. I hope they can do something on security,” she said.
The National Rally has strategically focused on Marseille, viewing it as a key battleground in its efforts to broaden its appeal. A victory in the city would be hailed by the party as a major step towards the presidency, according to reporting from The Guardian. Suzanne, a retired pharmacist, expressed a similar sentiment, stating she was shifting her support to the far-right, finding them “more energetic and efficient” than established parties.
While the mayoral race is taking place at the municipal level, the voting is being scrutinized for early indications of how parties might perform in the 2027 presidential election, as President Emmanuel Macron nears the end of his second and final term. French voters headed to the polls Sunday in the first round of municipal elections across France, with more than 904,000 candidates vying for municipal posts in roughly 35,000 towns and cities, according to the Associated Press.
In Paris, incumbent Socialist Mayor Anne Hidalgo did not seek a third term, leaving the outcome of the mayoral race there uncertain, with projections indicating a potentially suspenseful second-round runoff. Official results from Marseille and other cities are expected later Sunday night. A second round of voting will be held next Sunday in races where no candidate secured a majority.
