In the first round of the French local elections, the right-wing nationalist party, National Rally, recorded significant gains, particularly in southern regions of France. Despite this progress, many municipalities remain undecided, highlighting the importance of alliances that are being rapidly formed as the second round approaches. Only mayoral candidates achieving more than 50 percent of the votes have been able to declare victory, underscoring the competitive nature of these elections.

The party's standing is exemplified by victories in key municipalities such as Perpignan, where sitting mayor Louis Aliot has successfully retained his position, and in Moissac, where Romain Lopez has faced controversy tied to past antisemitic social media posts. This reflects the complex dynamics of local governance, where the National Rally's populist appeal is both bolstered and challenged by historical political alliances and competing factions within the right wing.

As negotiations intensify in almost 35,000 municipalities across France, the electoral landscape is continuously evolving. In places like Menton, National Rally's candidate Alexandra Masson's 36 percent of the vote demonstrates their potential strength, but success will ultimately depend on forming coalitions with traditional right candidates like Louis Sarkozy who garnered 18 percent. The upcoming decisive round will test the party's ability to navigate these alliances and capitalize on their electoral momentum.