Key facts
- The National Rally (RN) and allies secured 14 seats in the French Senate elections.
- This marks the first time the RN has met the threshold to form a Senate parliamentary group.
- Marine Le Pen called the outcome an 'historic victory' and a 'major milestone'.
- The RN won nine seats in the Sept. 27 vote, adding to three seats from 2023.
- The Union of the Right for the Republic (UDR) won two seats and will form a group with RN senators.
- A poll suggests Marine Le Pen and Jean-Luc Mélenchon could reach the presidential election run-off.
- Le Pen is projected to win 35%-36% in the first round, while Mélenchon is projected to win 17%-18%.
- Centrist Edouard Philippe is projected to win 13%-16% in the first round.
France's far-right National Rally (RN) party and its allies have secured enough seats to form their first Senate parliamentary group for the first time, following the September 27 elections. The party and its allies won a total of 14 seats, with the RN securing nine seats in the recent vote and adding to three seats won in 2023. An ally, the Union of the Right for the Republic (UDR), won two seats, and RN leadership stated their senators would form a parliamentary group with UDR representatives. Marine Le Pen, co-leader of the RN, described the outcome as an 'historic victory' and a 'major milestone'.
Separately, a poll suggests that French voters may face a presidential election contest between the far-right and the far-left in next year's election. Marine Le Pen of the National Rally is seen winning 35% to 36% in the first round, up from an earlier poll. She is projected to be joined in the run-off by Jean-Luc Mélenchon of the France Unbowed party, who is expected to win between 17% and 18%. Leading centrist hopeful Edouard Philippe was seen winning 13% to 16%, not enough to reach the second round. Le Pen is projected to win the run-off against either Mélenchon or Philippe.