French regional elections, 2010
Encyclopedia
Regional elections were held in France on 14 and 21 March 2010. At stake were the presidencies of each of France's 26 région
s, which, though they do not have legislative autonomy, manage sizable budgets.
The elections resulted in significant gains for the French Socialist Party (PS)
and its allies, who now control 21 of the 22 regions of Metropolitan France
.
and Corsica
are still run by the UMP. The left made gains in the national level in 2007 (presidential and legislative), and performed strongly in the 2008 municipal
and cantonal
elections. In metropolitan France, all incumbent left-wing Presidents are running for a second term in an election which generally favours popular incumbents and anti-government voting. Yet, the left is divided between the PS and Europe Écologie
, which performed very strongly in the 2009 European elections
.
The right, principally the UMP
and its allies, were victorious in the 2007 presidential
and legislative
elections and also in the 2009 European elections
. The right is favoured by its unity, notably by its new alliances with Philippe de Villiers
' Movement for France
and Frédéric Nihous
' Hunting, Fishing, Nature, Tradition. Yet, with this newfound unity, the right lacks a large vote reserve in the eventuality of a second round, where it can count only on partial support from supporters of the centrist MoDem
and the far-right FN. In addition, the growing unpopularity of President Nicolas Sarkozy
can hurt the right in an election where voters tend to sanction the incumbent government in Paris.
On the far-right, The National Front has been weakened by its previous electoral failures since 2007, but never-the-less remains a significant force in French politics.
(NPA) refuse to participate in an executive led by the PS; but the French Communist Party
(PCF) wishes to continue its participation in a number of executives led by the PS.
The PCF finally decided to continue the Left Front
with the Left Party
(PG), first tested in the 2009 European elections. These lists would be independent in the first round, but would support (or merge) with a Socialist-led list in the runoff on the condition that the centrist MoDem doesn't do likewise. Yet, the final decision on the matter was transferred to the regional party members. In 17 of 22 regions, members approved the decision of an expanded Left Front; but in five regions, PCF members opted for a first-round alliance with the PS. These regions are Burgundy, Champagne-Ardennes, Lorraine
, Lower Normandy and Brittany. In these regions, however, dissident Communists joined with the NPA and the PG to create independent lists for the first round.
The NPA's members voted on the party's strategy in December, and the independence strategy of the majority received support from only 36.3% of members, with 31.5% voting to continue discussions with the PCF-PG in the aim of obtaining a deal, and 28.5% rejected all talks with the FG. Finally, the NPA's executive opted to support independent lists of the "left of the left" in all regions in the first round and agreed to 'technical fusions' with other left-wing lists in the runoff (such as Left Front lists), without agreeing to participate in regional executives. In 11 regions, the NPA will fight alone, notably against a Left Front list. However, in three regions – Languedoc-Roussillon
, Limousin
and Pays-de-la-Loire, the NPA opted to support a Left Front list by the first round. Finally, in three of the five regions (except Brittany and Lorraine) where the PCF opted to support the PS by the first round, lists with the support of the PG were formed.
Contrarily to 2004, when it had run common lists with the LCR
, the Workers' Struggle
is running independent lists in all regions in 2010.
The Socialist Party
was not able to renew the unity of the left behind it by the first round like in 2004. It received some support from dissident ecologists, as well as the support of the French Communist Party
(PCF) in four regions (but not the support of the PCF's ally, the PG). It does have the support of the Left Radical Party
in all regions except Brittany. In Poitou-Charentes
, Ségolène Royal
integrated five MoDem candidates on her lists.
All the party's incumbents, except for the controversial Georges Frêche
(already expelled from the party in 2005), were re-nominated. The PS, with Hélène Mandroux, will oppose Georges Frêche
's list in Languedoc-Roussillon
.
coalition was renewed around The Greens
and associated parties and movements. Europe Écologie will run independently in all regions, with the intention of supporting the left in runoffs. However, the party's ultimate goal would be to wrest control of a major region, such as Ile-de-France
from the PS. The coalition's candidates include the researcher Philippe Meirieu
, magistrate Laurence Vichnievsky
, the rural activist François Dufour
or Augustin Legrand of the homeless' association Les Enfants de Don Quichotte.
The Independent Ecological Alliance
(AEI), after winning 3.6% in the European elections, is running independent lists in 10 regions. The AEI signed electoral deals with Europe Écologie
in Alsace
and Midi-Pyrénées
, with the MoDem in Auvergne
, Franche-Comté
, Pays-de-la-Loire and Poitou-Charentes
.
Corinne Lepage
's Cap21, despite being a component of the MoDem, the party ended up supporting Europe Écologie
over the MoDem.
's MoDem
decided to run autonomous lists in all regions by the first round but chose to clarify its runoff strategy only after the first round. However, due to Bayrou's strong opposition to Nicolas Sarkozy
, it is deemed unlikely that any MoDem lists will merge with UMP lists for the runoffs.
was successful in his attempts to push for the unity of all the Presidential Majority
by the first round around the Union for a Popular Movement
(UMP) and its allies, notably the New Centre
and the Movement for France
. Three cabinet ministers and five secretaries of states are leading regional lists, and eight other cabinet members are present on the majority's lists.
The New Centre
obtained the top candidacy in Burgundy (with François Sauvadet
) and Nord-Pas-de-Calais (with Valérie Létard
), but not in Lower Normandy.
Despite the right's relative unity, there are a number of small dissidents lists in a number of regions.
was a candidate in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
and his daughter Marine Le Pen
was a candidate in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais.
In Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
, the ex-MPF and ex-FN mayor of Orange Jacques Bompard
was leading a list named «Ligue du Sud», and there was a similar «Ligue du midi» in Languedoc-Roussillon
.
Furthermore, around the Party of France
or smaller dissident parties, there were a number of dissident far-right lists in some regions.
Abstention : 48.79 %
Region
Region is most commonly found as a term used in terrestrial and astrophysics sciences also an area, notably among the different sub-disciplines of geography, studied by regional geographers. Regions consist of subregions that contain clusters of like areas that are distinctive by their uniformity...
s, which, though they do not have legislative autonomy, manage sizable budgets.
The elections resulted in significant gains for the French Socialist Party (PS)
Socialist Party (France)
The Socialist Party is a social-democratic political party in France and the largest party of the French centre-left. It is one of the two major contemporary political parties in France, along with the center-right Union for a Popular Movement...
and its allies, who now control 21 of the 22 regions of Metropolitan France
Metropolitan France
Metropolitan France is the part of France located in Europe. It can also be described as mainland France or as the French mainland and the island of Corsica...
.
Situation
Following the 2004 elections, which saw an historic victory of the left, largely led by the PS, only AlsaceAlsace
Alsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France in land area , and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the seventh-most densely populated region in France and third most densely populated region in metropolitan France, with ca. 220 inhabitants per km²...
and Corsica
Corsica
Corsica is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located west of Italy, southeast of the French mainland, and north of the island of Sardinia....
are still run by the UMP. The left made gains in the national level in 2007 (presidential and legislative), and performed strongly in the 2008 municipal
French municipal elections, 2008
The French municipal elections of 2008 were held on 9 March in that year to elect the municipal councils of France's 36,782 communes...
and cantonal
French cantonal elections, 2008
Cantonal elections to elect half the membership of the general councils of France's 100 departments were held on 9 and 16 March 2008. These elections coincided with the municipal elections, in which the left did well.-Electoral system:...
elections. In metropolitan France, all incumbent left-wing Presidents are running for a second term in an election which generally favours popular incumbents and anti-government voting. Yet, the left is divided between the PS and Europe Écologie
Europe Écologie
Europe Écologie was a French electoral coalition created for the 2009 European elections composed of The Greens and other ecologists and regionalists....
, which performed very strongly in the 2009 European elections
European Parliament election, 2009 (France)
European elections to elect 72 French Members of the European Parliament were held on Sunday 7 June 2009.Due to the entry of Romania and Bulgaria in the European Union in 2007, the number of seats allocated to France was revised from 78 seats to 72 seats, a loss of 6 seats...
.
The right, principally the UMP
Union for a Popular Movement
The Union for a Popular Movement is a centre-right political party in France, and one of the two major contemporary political parties in the country along with the center-left Socialist Party...
and its allies, were victorious in the 2007 presidential
French presidential election, 2007
The 2007 French presidential election, the ninth of the Fifth French Republic was held to elect the successor to Jacques Chirac as president of France for a five-year term.The winner, decided on 5 and 6 May 2007, was Nicolas Sarkozy...
and legislative
French legislative election, 2007
The French legislative elections took place on 10 June and 17 June 2007 to elect the 13th National Assembly of the Fifth Republic, a few weeks after the French presidential election run-off on 6 May. 7,639 candidates stood for 577 seats, including France's overseas possessions...
elections and also in the 2009 European elections
European Parliament election, 2009 (France)
European elections to elect 72 French Members of the European Parliament were held on Sunday 7 June 2009.Due to the entry of Romania and Bulgaria in the European Union in 2007, the number of seats allocated to France was revised from 78 seats to 72 seats, a loss of 6 seats...
. The right is favoured by its unity, notably by its new alliances with Philippe de Villiers
Philippe de Villiers
Viscount Philippe Le Jolis de Villiers de Saintignon, known as Philippe de Villiers, born on 25 March 1949, is a French politician. He was the Mouvement pour la France nominee for the French presidential election of 2007. He received 2.23% of the vote, putting him in sixth place. As only the top...
' Movement for France
Movement for France
The Movement for France , abbreviated to MPF, is a French conservative and eurosceptic political party, founded on 20 November 1994, with a marked regional stronghold in the Vendée. It is led by Philippe de Villiers, once communications minister under Jacques Chirac.The party is considered...
and Frédéric Nihous
Frédéric Nihous
Frédéric Nihous is a French politician from the Hunting, Fishing, Nature, Traditions party. He was a candidate for the 2007 French presidential election, but was eliminated in the first round of balloting...
' Hunting, Fishing, Nature, Tradition. Yet, with this newfound unity, the right lacks a large vote reserve in the eventuality of a second round, where it can count only on partial support from supporters of the centrist MoDem
Democratic Movement (France)
The Democratic Movement , MoDem) is a centrist, social liberal and pro-European French political party that was founded by centrist politician François Bayrou to succeed his Union for French Democracy and to contest the 2007 legislative election, after his strong showing in the 2007 presidential...
and the far-right FN. In addition, the growing unpopularity of President Nicolas Sarkozy
Nicolas Sarkozy
Nicolas Sarkozy is the 23rd and current President of the French Republic and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra. He assumed the office on 16 May 2007 after defeating the Socialist Party candidate Ségolène Royal 10 days earlier....
can hurt the right in an election where voters tend to sanction the incumbent government in Paris.
On the far-right, The National Front has been weakened by its previous electoral failures since 2007, but never-the-less remains a significant force in French politics.
Left
The parties to the left of the PS are divided over their electoral strategy. On one side, the far-left and the New Anticapitalist PartyNew Anticapitalist Party
The New Anticapitalist Party is a French political party founded in February 2009. Its name was originally intended to be temporary; a vote on the name being held at the founding congress on 6–8 February 2009, where NPA won over "Revolutionary Anticapitalist Party" with 53% of the vote.The party ...
(NPA) refuse to participate in an executive led by the PS; but the French Communist Party
French Communist Party
The French Communist Party is a political party in France which advocates the principles of communism.Although its electoral support has declined in recent decades, the PCF retains a large membership, behind only that of the Union for a Popular Movement , and considerable influence in French...
(PCF) wishes to continue its participation in a number of executives led by the PS.
The PCF finally decided to continue the Left Front
Left Front (France)
The Left Front is a French electoral coalition for the 2009 European elections composed primarily of the French Communist Party, the Left Party and the Unitarian Left...
with the Left Party
Left Party (France)
The Left Party is a French democratic socialist political party. It seeks to emulate the German political party Die Linke led by Gesine Lötzsch and Klaus Ernst.- History :...
(PG), first tested in the 2009 European elections. These lists would be independent in the first round, but would support (or merge) with a Socialist-led list in the runoff on the condition that the centrist MoDem doesn't do likewise. Yet, the final decision on the matter was transferred to the regional party members. In 17 of 22 regions, members approved the decision of an expanded Left Front; but in five regions, PCF members opted for a first-round alliance with the PS. These regions are Burgundy, Champagne-Ardennes, Lorraine
Lorraine (région)
Lorraine is one of the 27 régions of France. The administrative region has two cities of equal importance, Metz and Nancy. Metz is considered to be the official capital since that is where the regional parliament is situated...
, Lower Normandy and Brittany. In these regions, however, dissident Communists joined with the NPA and the PG to create independent lists for the first round.
The NPA's members voted on the party's strategy in December, and the independence strategy of the majority received support from only 36.3% of members, with 31.5% voting to continue discussions with the PCF-PG in the aim of obtaining a deal, and 28.5% rejected all talks with the FG. Finally, the NPA's executive opted to support independent lists of the "left of the left" in all regions in the first round and agreed to 'technical fusions' with other left-wing lists in the runoff (such as Left Front lists), without agreeing to participate in regional executives. In 11 regions, the NPA will fight alone, notably against a Left Front list. However, in three regions – Languedoc-Roussillon
Languedoc-Roussillon
Languedoc-Roussillon is one of the 27 regions of France. It comprises five departments, and borders the other French regions of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, Rhône-Alpes, Auvergne, Midi-Pyrénées on the one side, and Spain, Andorra and the Mediterranean sea on the other side.-Geography:The region is...
, Limousin
Limousin (région)
Limousin is one of the 27 regions of France. It is composed of three départements: Corrèze, Creuse and the Haute-Vienne.Situated largely in the Massif Central, as of January 1st 2008, the Limousin comprised 740,743 inhabitants on nearly 17 000 km2, making it the second least populated region of...
and Pays-de-la-Loire, the NPA opted to support a Left Front list by the first round. Finally, in three of the five regions (except Brittany and Lorraine) where the PCF opted to support the PS by the first round, lists with the support of the PG were formed.
Contrarily to 2004, when it had run common lists with the LCR
Revolutionary Communist League (France)
See Revolutionary Communist League for the other Ligue communiste révolutionnaire.The Revolutionary Communist League was a French democratic revolutionary socialist political party. It was the French section of the Fourth International...
, the Workers' Struggle
Workers' Struggle
Lutte Ouvrière is the usual name under which the Union Communiste , a French Trotskyist political party, is known, after the name of its weekly paper. Arlette Laguiller has been its spokeswoman since 1973 and has run in each presidential election, but Robert Barcia was its founder and central...
is running independent lists in all regions in 2010.
The Socialist Party
Socialist Party (France)
The Socialist Party is a social-democratic political party in France and the largest party of the French centre-left. It is one of the two major contemporary political parties in France, along with the center-right Union for a Popular Movement...
was not able to renew the unity of the left behind it by the first round like in 2004. It received some support from dissident ecologists, as well as the support of the French Communist Party
French Communist Party
The French Communist Party is a political party in France which advocates the principles of communism.Although its electoral support has declined in recent decades, the PCF retains a large membership, behind only that of the Union for a Popular Movement , and considerable influence in French...
(PCF) in four regions (but not the support of the PCF's ally, the PG). It does have the support of the Left Radical Party
Left Radical Party
The Radical Party of the Left is a minor social-liberal, and in opposition to its common understanding of its name, a moderate centre-left political party in France advocating radicalism, secularism to its french extend known as laïcité, progressivism, pro-Europeanism, individual freedom and...
in all regions except Brittany. In Poitou-Charentes
Poitou-Charentes
Poitou-Charentes is an administrative region in central western France comprising four departments: Charente, Charente-Maritime, Deux-Sèvres and Vienne. The regional capital is Poitiers.-Politics:The regional council is composed of 56 members...
, Ségolène Royal
Ségolène Royal
Marie-Ségolène Royal , known as Ségolène Royal, is a French politician. She is the president of the Poitou-Charentes Regional Council, a former member of the National Assembly, a former government minister, and a prominent member of the French Socialist Party...
integrated five MoDem candidates on her lists.
All the party's incumbents, except for the controversial Georges Frêche
Georges Frêche
Georges Frêche was a French politician. He served as President of the Languedoc-Roussillon Region from 2004 until his death: prior to that, he had been mayor of Montpellier for 27 years, and was also a former member of the National Assembly...
(already expelled from the party in 2005), were re-nominated. The PS, with Hélène Mandroux, will oppose Georges Frêche
Georges Frêche
Georges Frêche was a French politician. He served as President of the Languedoc-Roussillon Region from 2004 until his death: prior to that, he had been mayor of Montpellier for 27 years, and was also a former member of the National Assembly...
's list in Languedoc-Roussillon
Languedoc-Roussillon
Languedoc-Roussillon is one of the 27 regions of France. It comprises five departments, and borders the other French regions of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, Rhône-Alpes, Auvergne, Midi-Pyrénées on the one side, and Spain, Andorra and the Mediterranean sea on the other side.-Geography:The region is...
.
Ecologists
Strong from its excellent result in the European elections, the Europe ÉcologieEurope Écologie
Europe Écologie was a French electoral coalition created for the 2009 European elections composed of The Greens and other ecologists and regionalists....
coalition was renewed around The Greens
The Greens (France)
The Greens were a Green political party to the centre-left of the political spectrum in France. They had officially been in existence since 1984, but their spiritual roots could be traced as far back as René Dumont’s candidacy for the presidency in 1974...
and associated parties and movements. Europe Écologie will run independently in all regions, with the intention of supporting the left in runoffs. However, the party's ultimate goal would be to wrest control of a major region, such as Ile-de-France
Île-de-France (région)
Île-de-France is the wealthiest and most populated of the twenty-two administrative regions of France, composed mostly of the Paris metropolitan area....
from the PS. The coalition's candidates include the researcher Philippe Meirieu
Philippe Meirieu
Philippe Meirieu is a French researcher, writer and politician. He is a member of The Greens-Europe Écologie....
, magistrate Laurence Vichnievsky
Laurence Vichnievsky
Laurence Vichnievsky Laurence Vichnievsky Laurence Vichnievsky (born February 5, 1955 in Boulogne-Billancourt, Hauts-de-Seine is a French magistrate and politician. She is a member of The Greens-Europe Écologie....
, the rural activist François Dufour
François Dufour
François Dufour is a French politician and a member of The Greens-Europe Écologie.He is co-founder and vice president of ATTAC France and was member of the Confédération paysanne led by José Bové. He was the second candidate on the Europe Écologie list in the North-West constituency for the 2009...
or Augustin Legrand of the homeless' association Les Enfants de Don Quichotte.
The Independent Ecological Alliance
Independent Ecological Alliance
The Independent Ecological Alliance is a French electoral coalition originally created to participate in the 2009 European elections composed of the Independent Ecological Movement, Ecology Generation, and France in Action.-2009 European elections:...
(AEI), after winning 3.6% in the European elections, is running independent lists in 10 regions. The AEI signed electoral deals with Europe Écologie
Europe Écologie
Europe Écologie was a French electoral coalition created for the 2009 European elections composed of The Greens and other ecologists and regionalists....
in Alsace
Alsace
Alsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France in land area , and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the seventh-most densely populated region in France and third most densely populated region in metropolitan France, with ca. 220 inhabitants per km²...
and Midi-Pyrénées
Midi-Pyrénées
Midi-Pyrénées is the largest region of metropolitan France by area, larger than the Netherlands or Denmark.Midi-Pyrénées has no historical or geographical unity...
, with the MoDem in Auvergne
Auvergne (région)
Auvergne is one of the 27 administrative regions of France. It comprises the 4 departments of Allier, Puy de Dome, Cantal and Haute Loire.The current administrative region of Auvergne is larger than the historical province of Auvergne, and includes provinces and areas that historically were not...
, Franche-Comté
Franche-Comté
Franche-Comté the former "Free County" of Burgundy, as distinct from the neighbouring Duchy, is an administrative region and a traditional province of eastern France...
, Pays-de-la-Loire and Poitou-Charentes
Poitou-Charentes
Poitou-Charentes is an administrative region in central western France comprising four departments: Charente, Charente-Maritime, Deux-Sèvres and Vienne. The regional capital is Poitiers.-Politics:The regional council is composed of 56 members...
.
Corinne Lepage
Corinne Lepage
Corinne Dominique Marguerite Lepage, also known as Corinne Lepage is a French politician and Member of the European Parliament elected in the 2009 European election for the North-West constituency....
's Cap21, despite being a component of the MoDem, the party ended up supporting Europe Écologie
Europe Écologie
Europe Écologie was a French electoral coalition created for the 2009 European elections composed of The Greens and other ecologists and regionalists....
over the MoDem.
Centre
After the deceiving result of the European elections, François BayrouFrançois Bayrou
François Bayrou is a French centrist politician, president of Union for French Democracy since 1998 and was a candidate in the 2002 and 2007 French presidential elections. In the first round, he received 18.6% of the vote, finishing in 3rd place and therefore was eliminated from the race....
's MoDem
Democratic Movement (France)
The Democratic Movement , MoDem) is a centrist, social liberal and pro-European French political party that was founded by centrist politician François Bayrou to succeed his Union for French Democracy and to contest the 2007 legislative election, after his strong showing in the 2007 presidential...
decided to run autonomous lists in all regions by the first round but chose to clarify its runoff strategy only after the first round. However, due to Bayrou's strong opposition to Nicolas Sarkozy
Nicolas Sarkozy
Nicolas Sarkozy is the 23rd and current President of the French Republic and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra. He assumed the office on 16 May 2007 after defeating the Socialist Party candidate Ségolène Royal 10 days earlier....
, it is deemed unlikely that any MoDem lists will merge with UMP lists for the runoffs.
The Presidential Majority
Nicolas SarkozyNicolas Sarkozy
Nicolas Sarkozy is the 23rd and current President of the French Republic and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra. He assumed the office on 16 May 2007 after defeating the Socialist Party candidate Ségolène Royal 10 days earlier....
was successful in his attempts to push for the unity of all the Presidential Majority
Liaison Committee for the Presidential Majority
The Liaison Committee for the Presidential Majority is a structure initiated by Nicolas Sarkozy to coordinate the political parties that support his action....
by the first round around the Union for a Popular Movement
Union for a Popular Movement
The Union for a Popular Movement is a centre-right political party in France, and one of the two major contemporary political parties in the country along with the center-left Socialist Party...
(UMP) and its allies, notably the New Centre
New Centre
New Centre , also known as the European Social Liberal Party is a centre-right political party in France, formed by the members of the Union for French Democracy – including a majority of former parliamentarians – who did not agree with François Bayrou's...
and the Movement for France
Movement for France
The Movement for France , abbreviated to MPF, is a French conservative and eurosceptic political party, founded on 20 November 1994, with a marked regional stronghold in the Vendée. It is led by Philippe de Villiers, once communications minister under Jacques Chirac.The party is considered...
. Three cabinet ministers and five secretaries of states are leading regional lists, and eight other cabinet members are present on the majority's lists.
The New Centre
New Centre
New Centre , also known as the European Social Liberal Party is a centre-right political party in France, formed by the members of the Union for French Democracy – including a majority of former parliamentarians – who did not agree with François Bayrou's...
obtained the top candidacy in Burgundy (with François Sauvadet
François Sauvadet
François Sauvadet is the president of the Côte-d'Or department and the parliamentary leader of the New Centre. He is a member of the New Centre. He represents the 4th constituency of the Cote-d'Or inthe French National Assembly....
) and Nord-Pas-de-Calais (with Valérie Létard
Valérie Létard
Valérie Létard was Secretary of State for Solidarity in the government of François Fillon from June 2007 to 14 November 2010....
), but not in Lower Normandy.
Despite the right's relative unity, there are a number of small dissidents lists in a number of regions.
Far-right
The National Front ran lists in all metropolitan regions. Jean-Marie Le PenJean-Marie Le Pen
Jean-Marie Le Pen is a French far right-wing and nationalist politician who is founder and former president of the Front National party. Le Pen has run for the French presidency five times, most notably in 2002, when in a surprise upset he came second, polling more votes in the first round than...
was a candidate in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur or PACA is one of the 27 regions of France.It is made up of:* the former French province of Provence* the former papal territory of Avignon, known as Comtat Venaissin...
and his daughter Marine Le Pen
Marine Le Pen
Marine Le Pen is a French politician, a lawyer by profession and the president of the Front National since 16 January 2011...
was a candidate in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais.
In Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur or PACA is one of the 27 regions of France.It is made up of:* the former French province of Provence* the former papal territory of Avignon, known as Comtat Venaissin...
, the ex-MPF and ex-FN mayor of Orange Jacques Bompard
Jacques Bompard
Jacques Bompard is a French politician. Bompard is the mayor of Orange, elected in June 1995 and reelected in 2001 and 2008. He was originally a member of the Front National , but left the party in 2005. He joined the Mouvement pour la France later the same year...
was leading a list named «Ligue du Sud», and there was a similar «Ligue du midi» in Languedoc-Roussillon
Languedoc-Roussillon
Languedoc-Roussillon is one of the 27 regions of France. It comprises five departments, and borders the other French regions of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, Rhône-Alpes, Auvergne, Midi-Pyrénées on the one side, and Spain, Andorra and the Mediterranean sea on the other side.-Geography:The region is...
.
Furthermore, around the Party of France
Party of France
The Party of France is a far-right political party in France. The PDF was founded on February 23, 2009 by National Front MEP Carl Lang. Carl Lang was known for his opposition to Marine Le Pen's possible candidacy to the leadership of the FN upon retirement of its long-time leader, Jean-Marie Le Pen...
or smaller dissident parties, there were a number of dissident far-right lists in some regions.
Nationwide Polling
| Party | OpinionWay 01/10/09 |
CSA 01/10/09 |
OpinionWay 29/10/09 |
OpinionWay 19/11/09 |
Ifop 20/11/09 |
OpinionWay 10/12/09 |
CSA 17/01/10 |
Ifop 26/01/10 |
TNS Sofres 04/02/10 |
OpinionWay 08/02/10 |
CSA 14/02/10 |
Ifop 17/02/10 |
OpinionWay 20/02/10 |
Ifop 28/02/10 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Presidential Majority Liaison Committee for the Presidential Majority The Liaison Committee for the Presidential Majority is a structure initiated by Nicolas Sarkozy to coordinate the political parties that support his action.... |
36% | 31% | 33% | 31% | 30% | 30% | 33% | 27% | 30% | 30% | 33% | 29.5% | 32% | 27.5% | |
| PS | 19% | 21% | 21% | 22% | 21% | 23% | 22% | 27% | 28% | 27% | 27% | 29% | 26% | 31% | |
| Europe Écologie Europe Écologie Europe Écologie was a French electoral coalition created for the 2009 European elections composed of The Greens and other ecologists and regionalists.... |
16% | 17% | 15% | 16% | 15% | 14% | 15% | 13% | 13% | 10% | 13% | 11% | 14% | 13% | |
| FN | 6% | 8% | 9% | 9% | 8% | 10% | 7% | 8.5% | 8.5% | 9% | 8% | 9% | 9% | 9.5% | |
| MoDem Democratic Movement (France) The Democratic Movement , MoDem) is a centrist, social liberal and pro-European French political party that was founded by centrist politician François Bayrou to succeed his Union for French Democracy and to contest the 2007 legislative election, after his strong showing in the 2007 presidential... |
7% | 8% | 6% | 7% | 6% | 8% | 9% | 6.5% | 4% | 6% | 5% | 5% | 5% | 4% | |
| Left Front Left Front (France) The Left Front is a French electoral coalition for the 2009 European elections composed primarily of the French Communist Party, the Left Party and the Unitarian Left... |
8% | 6% | 6% | 6% | 7% | 4% | 6% | 5% | 6% | 6% | 4% | 6.5% | 5% | 6.5% | |
| NPA New Anticapitalist Party The New Anticapitalist Party is a French political party founded in February 2009. Its name was originally intended to be temporary; a vote on the name being held at the founding congress on 6–8 February 2009, where NPA won over "Revolutionary Anticapitalist Party" with 53% of the vote.The party ... |
5% | 6% | 5% | 4% | 4% | 4% | 5% | 3% | 3.5% | 4% | 3% | 2.5% | 2% | 2% | |
| LO Workers' Struggle Lutte Ouvrière is the usual name under which the Union Communiste , a French Trotskyist political party, is known, after the name of its weekly paper. Arlette Laguiller has been its spokeswoman since 1973 and has run in each presidential election, but Robert Barcia was its founder and central... |
— | 3% | — | — | 2% | 2% | 3% | 2% | 3% | 1% | 2% | 1% | 1% | 1.5% | |
| Others | 3% | — | 5% | 5% | 7% | 5% | — | 8% | 4% | 7% | 5% | 5.5% | 7% | 5% | |
| Party | CSA 01/03/10 |
TNS Sofres 04/03/10 |
OpinionWay 05/03/10 |
CSA 05/03/10 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Presidential Majority Liaison Committee for the Presidential Majority The Liaison Committee for the Presidential Majority is a structure initiated by Nicolas Sarkozy to coordinate the political parties that support his action.... |
29% | 30% | 31% | 27% | |
| PS | 30% | 28% | 27% | 31% | |
| Europe Écologie Europe Écologie Europe Écologie was a French electoral coalition created for the 2009 European elections composed of The Greens and other ecologists and regionalists.... |
15% | 12% | 13% | 14% | |
| FN | 8% | 8% | 9% | 9% | |
| MoDem Democratic Movement (France) The Democratic Movement , MoDem) is a centrist, social liberal and pro-European French political party that was founded by centrist politician François Bayrou to succeed his Union for French Democracy and to contest the 2007 legislative election, after his strong showing in the 2007 presidential... |
5% | 4% | 5% | 5% | |
| Left Front Left Front (France) The Left Front is a French electoral coalition for the 2009 European elections composed primarily of the French Communist Party, the Left Party and the Unitarian Left... |
5% | 7% | 6% | 6% | |
| NPA New Anticapitalist Party The New Anticapitalist Party is a French political party founded in February 2009. Its name was originally intended to be temporary; a vote on the name being held at the founding congress on 6–8 February 2009, where NPA won over "Revolutionary Anticapitalist Party" with 53% of the vote.The party ... |
2% | 1.5% | 3% | 2% | |
| LO Workers' Struggle Lutte Ouvrière is the usual name under which the Union Communiste , a French Trotskyist political party, is known, after the name of its weekly paper. Arlette Laguiller has been its spokeswoman since 1973 and has run in each presidential election, but Robert Barcia was its founder and central... |
2% | 2.5% | 1% | 2% | |
| Others | 4% | 7% | 5% | 4% | |
National results
Abstention : 53.67 %Abstention : 48.79 %
Regional results
The following tables show the results in the first round of voting which took place on the 14 March 2010 and, where applicable, in the second round of voting which took place on the 21 March 2010.Alsace
Aquitaine
Auvergne
Brittany
Burgundy
Centre
Champagne-Ardenne
Corsica
Franche-Comté
Guadeloupe
Guiana
Île-de-France
La Réunion
Languedoc-Roussillon
Limousin
Lorraine
Lower Normandy
Martinique
Midi-Pyrénées
Nord-Pas-de-Calais
Pays de la Loire
Picardy
Poitou-Charentes
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Rhône-Alpes
Upper Normandy
External links
- After regional elections, should Sarkozy panic? Analysis by Radio France Internationale in English
- Election-Politique Regional Elections since 1986 (in french)