PARIS听–听France’s center–谤颈驳丑迟听Les Republicains (LR) party maintained its majority in the听厂别苍补迟别听after Sunday’s vote, in which three senators from Marine Le Pen’s听蹿补谤–谤颈驳丑迟听party were elected.
“This senatorial renewal reinforces the senatorial majority of the聽谤颈驳丑迟听and the center and is a testimony of its territorial roots,” Gerard Larcher, the leader of Les Republicains and president of the听蝉别苍补迟别, said in a statement.
The听厂别苍补迟别听is indirectly elected by France’s mayors as well as regional, departmental and municipal councillors. Half of the听厂别苍补迟别‘s 348听蝉别补迟蝉听were being contested.
Le Pen’s Rassemblement National had been widely expected to make a new breakthrough in the听厂别苍补迟别听but the score of three听飞颈苍蝉听was above expectations.
The election of听蹿补谤–谤颈驳丑迟听senators is mostly a delayed reflection of strong results by Le Pen’s party in previous local elections and does not necessarily predict her results in the next elections.
The only member of the听贵谤别苍肠丑听government running in the elections, Secretary of State for Citizenship Sonia Backes, was defeated in the听贵谤别苍肠丑听territory of New Caledonia.
Under France’s Fifth Republic, the听厂别苍补迟别听has less influence over legislating than the National Assembly, the lower house of parliament. In case of disagreement over legislation, it is the Assembly which has the last word.
贵谤别苍肠丑听President Emmanuel Macron’s Renaissance party remains the biggest party in the lower house, but lost its majority in June last year, giving more weight to senators whenever a compromise is necessary with the upper house to pass legislation.
Mr. Macron has struggled to anchor his party at a local level, with local authorities mostly听肠辞苍迟谤辞濒led by France’s historically dominant political forces, the conservative LR and the left-wing Socialist party. – Reuters
