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| Local Elections Maintain Rightward Trend in France | Local Elections Maintain Rightward Trend in France |
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| PARIS — The first round of local elections in France failed to remake French politics drastically, but did confirm political trends: that voters are seeking change, that the far-right National Front continues to gain ground and that the Socialist Party of President François Hollande continues to lose it. | |
| With the ballots in Sunday’s local elections now fully tallied, the first-round results show that mainstream right-wing parties, dominated by the Union for a Popular Movement, received the most votes of any party, about 29 percent nationwide. | With the ballots in Sunday’s local elections now fully tallied, the first-round results show that mainstream right-wing parties, dominated by the Union for a Popular Movement, received the most votes of any party, about 29 percent nationwide. |
| The UMP, which lost in the 2012 presidential elections to Mr. Hollande and the Socialists, now seems increasingly well positioned for the 2017 presidential elections, although it is unclear whether former President Nicolas Sarkozy will be the party’s nominee. | |
| The National Front took 25 percent of the votes, which was more than in similar elections in past years, but less than recent polls had suggested, depriving the far right of an outright victory. However, National Front politicians built on previous gains in areas of the northeast and southeast, where they are already entrenched. | The National Front took 25 percent of the votes, which was more than in similar elections in past years, but less than recent polls had suggested, depriving the far right of an outright victory. However, National Front politicians built on previous gains in areas of the northeast and southeast, where they are already entrenched. |
| The Socialist Party, which had feared historic losses, managed to take 21.5 percent of the vote. The third-place showing, though far from an expected trouncing, indicates that the Socialists will have a hard road ahead to regain their popularity and hold onto the presidency in 2017. | The Socialist Party, which had feared historic losses, managed to take 21.5 percent of the vote. The third-place showing, though far from an expected trouncing, indicates that the Socialists will have a hard road ahead to regain their popularity and hold onto the presidency in 2017. |
| With half of the French electorate going to the polls, far more than expected, the message appeared to be that people want change. But the overall results showed that they were not sure who could deliver it. | With half of the French electorate going to the polls, far more than expected, the message appeared to be that people want change. But the overall results showed that they were not sure who could deliver it. |
| In the past, Marine Le Pen, the leader of the National Front who projects an image as an energetic outsider, has appealed to voters by saying she is the only alternative to the status quo. However, as the party gains ground, it also becomes a more established part of the political scene. | In the past, Marine Le Pen, the leader of the National Front who projects an image as an energetic outsider, has appealed to voters by saying she is the only alternative to the status quo. However, as the party gains ground, it also becomes a more established part of the political scene. |
| The second round of the local elections will be held Sunday, providing a clearer picture of both the Socialists’ and National Front’s standings. In past elections, the far-right party has often done well in the first round, but struggled in the runoffs when voters have switched allegiances among the other parties to those best positioned to beat the far-right. | The second round of the local elections will be held Sunday, providing a clearer picture of both the Socialists’ and National Front’s standings. In past elections, the far-right party has often done well in the first round, but struggled in the runoffs when voters have switched allegiances among the other parties to those best positioned to beat the far-right. |
| Prime Minister Manuel Valls, of the Socialist Party, on Sunday evening encouraged that strategy, calling on voters to cast their ballot for any party other than the National Front. Even in the face of its rising popularity, the National Front has faced fierce resistance in France to its anti-immigration and anti-European Union policies, as well as its founders’ espousal of racist and anti-Semitic views. While Ms. Le Pen has worked hard to blunt that image, the reputation lingers. | Prime Minister Manuel Valls, of the Socialist Party, on Sunday evening encouraged that strategy, calling on voters to cast their ballot for any party other than the National Front. Even in the face of its rising popularity, the National Front has faced fierce resistance in France to its anti-immigration and anti-European Union policies, as well as its founders’ espousal of racist and anti-Semitic views. While Ms. Le Pen has worked hard to blunt that image, the reputation lingers. |
| Mr. Sarkozy, however, appeared so eager to defeat his archrivals, the Socialists, that on Sunday evening he counseled voters to abstain rather than vote for either a National Front or a Socialist candidate — a position widely known here as “Ni, Ni.” | Mr. Sarkozy, however, appeared so eager to defeat his archrivals, the Socialists, that on Sunday evening he counseled voters to abstain rather than vote for either a National Front or a Socialist candidate — a position widely known here as “Ni, Ni.” |
| The policy reflects the UMP’s challenge to hold true to its traditional center-right conservatism yet still compete with the National Front. | The policy reflects the UMP’s challenge to hold true to its traditional center-right conservatism yet still compete with the National Front. |