Right-wing French mayor wins 82% of the vote as voters revolt against Emmanuel Macron

Mr Pajot’s continued triumph in the Pas-de-Calais municipality of 21,500 residents has overturned the area’s history as a left-wing stronghold during its coal mining heyday.

"It shows that residents are happy with the way the National Rally runs things," the young mayor declared at the town's ornate Hôtel de Ville, constructed during the 1930s when French coal production was booming.

During his six years in office, Mr Pajot has prioritised public safety, establishing a 17-officer municipal police force and deploying CCTV cameras throughout the town.

He has also modernised bus routes, refurbished dilapidated buildings and upgraded local schools.

The mayor claims that investment has risen by €19million, while debt has fallen from €34million to €31million, without increasing taxes.

Jordan Bardella, the 30-year-old National Rally president, has pointed to victories for Mr Pajot and several other party mayors in the opening round as evidence of "the success of its foothold on the ground".

The party now has its sights set on grander targets as French voters return to the polls over the weekend for the decisive second round of municipal elections in more than 1,500 communes.

Mr Bardella is hoping to claim control of significant urban centres, including the Mediterranean port of Toulon, the Riviera city of Nice and France's second-largest city, Marseille.

The elections represent a crucial test of whether the right-wing party can translate its national momentum into victories in major cities, where it has historically struggled to gain ground.

In Marseille, the contest is exceptionally tight – incumbent left-wing mayor Benoît Payan finished the opening round with just over 36 per cent, barely ahead of National Rally candidate Franck Allisio on approximately 35 per cent.

Mr Payan has refused to ally with Jean-Luc Mélenchon's radical-left France Unbowed movement, which much of the mainstream left has shunned over accusations of extremism and antisemitism.

Unbowed’s candidate, Sébastien Delogu, withdrew from the race, insisting that the right must be blocked at any cost.

Nice presents another significant opportunity for the French right.

Eric Ciotti, running as a joint candidate for his breakaway conservative faction and the National Rally, led the first round with over 43 per cent, well ahead of outgoing centre-right mayor Christian Estrosi.

Bruno Retailleau, national leader of the mainstream conservative Les Républicains, has declined to endorse Estrosi against Mr Ciotti, a decision that could pave the way for an electoral alliance ahead of the 2027 presidential race.

National Rally’s municipal stronghold remains Perpignan, where mayor Louis Aliot also secured a second term, governing a city of more than 121,000 residents.

These municipalities could prove decisive in the 2027 presidential election, which the National Rally views as its strongest opportunity yet to seize power, with Emmanuel Macron due to step down.

Léo Major, an analyst at Ifop, observed: "For all the parties, especially the National Rally, governing a town or a city is a way of showing you can make it on a national level."

The far-left Unbowed movement is poised to capture larger urban centres, including Roubaix, Limoges and Toulouse, for the first time.

Polling stations opened at 8am local time on Sunday and will close in major cities at 8pm, with results anticipated throughout the evening.

Paris is also proving to be one of the most fiercely contested battlegrounds, with the Socialist Party having held the city hall since 2001.

Centre-left candidate Emmanuel Grégoire topped the initial round with approximately 38 per cent support, placing him ahead of conservative Rachida Dati on roughly 25.5 per cent.

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