Sarkozy’s conservative UMP edges out far right in French local elections

Ex-president Nicolas Sarkozy’s conservative UMP and its allies edged out the National Front (FN) to place first in local polls on the 22 March 2015, with President François Hollande’s Socialists – beset by economic woes and record unemployment – coming in third.

A second round of elections in French 'cantons' (an administrative division below the 'departement' took place on the 29 March 2015. The far-right FN made limited gains, getting 62 seats for local councils but still not enough to take over any department. The centre-right UMP won the second round by wide margin, with the centre-left Socialists coming third.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: French local elections: Why they matter http://www.europeansources.info/record/french-local-elections-why-they-matter/

The Local.fr, 23.03.15: French right-wing edges out National Front http://www.thelocal.fr/20150323/french-right-edges-out-national-front

BBC News, 23.03.15: France local elections: Conservatives hold off National Front http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-32006268

The Guardian, 23.03.15: Far-right Front National denied first place in local elections in France http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/mar/22/front-national-far-right-france-local-elections-nicolas-sarkozy-ump-win-first-round

EurActiv, 23.03.15: Sarkozy’s party wins first round of French local elections http://www.euractiv.com/sections/elections/sarkozys-party-wins-first-round-french-local-elections-313135

EUObserver, 23.03.15: National Front comes second in French local elections https://euobserver.com/beyond-brussels/128100

Euro|Topics: Main Focus, 23.03.15: Conservatives win departmental elections http://www.eurotopics.net/en/home/presseschau/archiv/archiv_dossier/DOSSIER160400-Conservatives-win-departmental-elections

Deutsche Welle, 23.03.15: Opinion: No reason for Le Pen to be triumphant http://dw.de/p/1Evjt

Blog: Open Europe, 23.03.15: Local elections confirm a quarter of French voters support Front National http://openeurope.org.uk/blog/local-elections-confirm-a-quarter-of-french-voters-support-front-national/

France24, 24.03.15: Has Sarkozy won his first battle to reclaim the Elysée? http://www.france24.com/en/20150323-france-local-elections-sarkozy-presidency/

EurActiv, 30.03.15: Sarkozy triumphs in local elections, far-right obtains no département http://www.euractiv.com/sections/elections/sarkozy-triumphs-local-elections-far-right-obtains-no-departement-313349

EUObserver, 30.03.15: France swings to right in local election, heavy defeat for left https://euobserver.com/political/128185

Deutsche Welle, 29.03.15: Sarkozy and Le Pen expected to make gains as polls close in France http://dw.de/p/1EzIz

The Guardian, 29.03.15: French local elections: Hollande left bruised as Sarkozy and Le Pen triumph http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/mar/29/hollande-left-bruised-as-sarkozy-and-le-pen-triumph-in-french-local-elections

France24, 30.03.15: Right-wing UMP claims major victory in local French ballots http://www.france24.com/en/20150329-france-local-election-results-right-wing-wins-no-far-right-departments/

The New York Times, 29.03.15: Conservative Alliance Gains in French Voting http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/30/world/europe/conservative-alliance-gains-in-french-voting.html

The Local.fr 30.03.15: French local elections: Who won and who lost http://www.thelocal.fr/20150330/france-politics-local-elections-three-key-points

El Mundo, 29.03.15: Departmental elections strengthen Sarkozy (via Euro|Topics) http://www.eurotopics.net/en/home/presseschau/archiv/aehnliche/archiv_article/ARTICLE160777-Departmental-elections-strengthen-Sarkozy

Blog: Open Europe, 30.03.15: French local elections: Winners and losers http://openeurope.org.uk/blog/french-local-elections-winners-and-losers/

Euro|Topics: Main Focus, 31.03.15: France shifts to the right http://www.eurotopics.net/en/home/presseschau/archiv/archiv_dossier/DOSSIER160859-France-shifts-to-the-right

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