Marseille Faces Far-Right Surge Ahead of Local Elections

Published: 14 Mar 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online

Nathalie, a market trader in her 40s, had woken early to prepare a pan of paella rice at a market in southern Marseille last week when a crowd of far-right canvassers approached, promising cleaner and safer streets if she voted for them in the local elections.

“Our cash tin was stolen right here at Christmas time,” Nathalie said. “I’ve had a bag stolen too. It tends to happen at the end of the day, around 7pm. I worry for the elderly grandmas. I had a necklace ripped off me in the city centre once.”

She usually voted for the traditional right but felt Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally (RN) was now a good choice. “We’ve never tried them, so now we can give them a chance. I hope they can do something on security,” she said.

Suzanne, 80, a retired pharmacist shopping nearby, said she had spent a lifetime supporting conservative parties like Jacques Chirac’s and Nicolas Sarkozy’s, but, like many affluent neighbours, was shifting to the far right. “I’ve never voted RN before, but I’m going to try it,” she said. “They are more energetic and efficient than the others.”

On Sunday, France will vote in the first round of local elections, widely seen as a gauge of the political climate ahead of next year’s presidential election. With Emmanuel Macron’s two terms ending, uncertainty looms over the future leadership of Europe’s second-largest economy.

Marseille’s leftwing mayor, Benoît Payan, warned that the far right was polling high enough to take city hall. “If Marseille falls into the RN’s hands, it would be an earthquake for France,” he said.

Jordan Bardella, RN party head and potential 2027 presidential candidate, expressed confidence. “Victory is possible,” he said while touring Marseille.

The RN has emphasized municipal policing and security amid Marseille’s deadly drug-trafficking gangs, which the far-right describes as a South American-style mini narco-state. Franck Allisio, RN mayoral candidate, proposed measures such as timed-access passes to local beaches for families and seniors to deter “delinquents … listening to loud music and smoking joints.”

Marseille is historically multicultural, welcoming immigrants from North Africa, Italy, Armenia, and Comoros, with one of Europe’s largest Jewish populations. Yet inequality is stark: more than 25% of residents live below the poverty line, and 13% of main residences are classified as slums.

The left claims the RN is anti-immigration and racist, opposing the city’s inclusive identity. They recently renamed a boulevard after Ibrahim Ali, a 17-year-old killed in 1995 by a far-right activist, highlighting the city’s fraught history with the party.

In the northern arrondissements, the RN has previously held district mayor positions, although scandals, convictions, and appeals have plagued its representatives. Tina Biard-Sansonetti, leftwing candidate for district mayor, warned, “The RN already ran this sector – daily life didn’t get better, on the contrary it got worse.”

Agnès, a centrist voter, noted general voter disillusionment: “There’s feeling of disgust towards all politicians that could affect turn-out.” Mohamed Arouel, 21, law student and leftwing candidate, stressed the importance of youth participation, noting the RN’s values clash with the neighbourhood’s diversity.

Marseille’s mayoral contest reflects broader French issues, such as access to public services. Macron’s government invested €5bn in the city five years ago to improve schools, public transport, and police resources. Payan’s coalition claims progress with 27 schools built or renovated and doubling municipal police numbers.

While the RN’s victory is far from certain, the party may capitalize on a weak campaign by the traditional right and local alliances, framing any success in Marseille or Nice as a “national dynamic” toward the presidency.

Monique Cordier, former teacher and leftwing canvasser, insisted an RN win was unlikely: “I frankly don’t think they’ll win. It’s not in the Marseille mentality to be racist.”