French far-right stalls at runoff hurdle despite strong first-round gains
The National Rally posted strong first-round results in France’s municipal elections, notably in Marseille, Toulon and Nîmes, but faces a second-round hurdle as rival lists unite to block it; Bardella remains the frontrunner, yet the March 22 runoffs could still derail the party’s momentum and complicate a decisive 2027 breakthrough.