Far right gains ground in French Senate
Nine RN senators were elected on Sunday, according to an Agence France-Presse (AFP) tally of results, on top of the three who won seats in 2023. A further two were elected from RN ally Eric Ciotti's Union of the Right for the Republic (UDR) party. RN president Jordan Bardella said the party's senators would form a group with UDR allies.
France's far-right Rassemblement National (RN) party has made significant gains in the Senate, securing a record number of seats. According to The Local France, the RN and its allies won 14 seats, quadrupling their number in the 348-seat chamber. Euronews reports a slightly higher number, with at least 15 senators elected.
The RN's advance reflects its growing local roots, particularly around the Mediterranean. The party's president, Jordan Bardella, hailed the results as a milestone in the RN's growth, while Marine Le Pen, the RN's candidate for the 2027 presidential race, called it a "historic victory".
The overall balance of power in the Senate remains unchanged, with the right-wing majority holding firm. The RN's gains do, however, put it in a position to form its own parliamentary group, which would give it more funding and the right to request a Senate inquiry committee each year, as per Euronews.
Brief written by urgent.news from The Local France, Euronews — 2 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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