Results of the senatorial elections in France: Predictable political stability
The results of the senatorial elections in France fell this Sunday, September 24, and as expected, they brought few notable changes to the country’s political landscape. With 170 seats renewed, the French Senate remains dominated by the right and the center, who retain their majority without too much difficulty against the parties of the presidential majority.
The 79,000 “electors”, made up of deputies, senators, regional, departmental and municipal councilors, were called to the polls for this indirect election. If the precise results will not be known until the end of the day, experts are already predicting that the political forces will move only slightly, which means that stability remains the key word in these elections.
The right, led by its leader Gérard Larcher, is confident about preserving its majority in the Senate. With a President of the Senate seeking a sixth term and the support of the Les Républicains (LR) group, the right-wing party remains well anchored and in a position of strength. For its part, the Socialist Party (PS) hopes to maintain its position as second group in the Senate, with the support of communists and environmentalists in certain departments.
The presidential majority, for its part, risks paying the limits of its local roots. The results of the municipal elections have already shown signs of weakness on this side, which should also be reflected in the Senate. Despite this, Édouard Philippe’s Horizons party managed to obtain a few seats thanks to its municipal victories, thus strengthening its presence in the Senate.
The National Rally, for its part, hopes to create a surprise in certain departments in the north of France. Although absent in the Senate, the far-right party is counting on its results during the municipal elections to find a place within the institution.
In short, these senatorial elections confirm political stability in France, with a distribution of power which should not experience major upheavals. The major political groups retain their positions, and only the future will allow us to know whether real developments can take place during the next elections.