French President Emmanuel Macron suffers bitter defeat in local elections
- French leader had hoped that the municipal elections would help bolster his position ahead of his 2022 re-election bid
- Exit polls showed the Greens winning in Lyon, Marseille, Bordeaux and Strasbourg
France President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist party received a drubbing on Sunday in municipal elections, as the Greens celebrated victories in several big cities after a surge in support.
Macron had hoped the elections would help anchor his young party in towns and cities across France, including Paris, ahead of an anticipated 2022 re-election bid.
But aides had more recently been playing down expectations and the sweeping wins by the Greens, who in some cities joined forces with leftist allies, may compel Macron to reshuffle his government to win back disenfranchised left-wing voters.
In a rare bright spot for Macron, his prime minister, Edouard Philippe, won his bid to become mayor of the northern port city of Le Havre. Although the French constitution allows Philippe to name someone to act as mayor while he remains prime minister, his win deepens questions over his job as premier.
Exit polls showed the Greens winning in Lyon, Marseille, Bordeaux and Strasbourg, building on the momentum created by their strong performance in France in last year’s European Parliament elections.
