French mayoral elections: Fractured vote reshapes alliances ahead of runoff

France’s first round of mayoral elections has exposed a deeply fragmented political landscape, with strong performances from both the hard-left La France Insoumise (LFI) and the far-right National Rally (RN) complicating traditional alliances. As candidates gear up for next Sunday’s runoffs, negotiations, withdrawals and refusals to cooperate are reshaping the electoral map across the country.