French local election results give unexpected lift to centrist parties

Outcome suggests that when mainstream parties cooperate they can still block Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally

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France’s local elections, closely watched for clues to next year’s presidential vote, have given parties of the centre a welcome and unexpected lift as the far right and radical left fell some way short of their ambitions.

The 35,000 municipal ballots often focus on local survival and their outcomes do not always reflect national voting patterns, but they do show trends in popularity and suggest what kind of alliances can be struck in a fragmented political landscape.