French far right wins record Senate seats in indirect vote
Marine Le Pen’s National Rally and its allies secured 14 seats in France’s 348-member Senate, enough to form a parliamentary group for the first time. The result quadruples the party’s presence in the upper house ahead of next year’s presidential election. Le Pen called it a historic victory, while the chamber’s right, centrist and centre-left blocs were expected to remain dominant.
France’s upper house renews half its seats every three years, with local officials casting indirect votes and senators serving six-year terms. The National Rally, formerly the National Front, first entered the Senate in 2014 with two seats and later held three after 2023.
On Sunday, nine RN senators were elected, joined by two from Eric Ciotti’s UDR, allowing a 14-member group with allies. The chamber’s Les Républicains president, Gérard Larcher, is expected to be re-elected.
The result may give the far right a more formal voice in the Senate, potentially shaping debate and committee work even as larger blocs remain dominant. It could strengthen Marine Le Pen’s momentum before the presidential election, affecting voters, local officials and rival parties. Because the Senate’s powers are limited relative to the lower house, immediate policy change may be modest, but the symbolic and strategic effects could be significant.