Centre-right holds onto majority in French Senate as far-right wins three seats

The conservative Les Republicains party has maintained a majority in the French Senate after elections on Sunday that brought three members of the far-right National Rally into the upper house of parliament for the first time.

French Senate President Gerard Larcher, who is expected to keep his position when the newly-elected upper house convenes for the first time on 2 October after elections Sunday for half the chamber's seats. © Emmanuel Dunand/Pool via Reuters

France’s 35,000 mayors, as well as regional, departmental and municipal councillors elect the 348 members of the Senate, 170 of whose seats were being contested by 1,829 candidates on Sunday.

"This senatorial renewal reinforces the senatorial majority of the right and the centre and is a testimony of its territorial roots," Gerard Larcher, leader of Les Republicains (LR) in the Senate, who is expected to keep his position as president of the body in elections on 2 October, said in a statement.

The National Rally, which lost its only Senate seat during the last presidential election when Stéphane Ravier decided to join the party of far-right pundit Eric Zemmour, said it won three seats on Sunday.

While the results exceeded expectations for the far-right party, they are seen as a reflection of strong results by Le Pen's party in previous local elections, and not necessarily a prediction of future election results.

The Senate has less influence on legislation than the National Assembly, which in cases of disagreement has the last word.

However, since French President Emmanuel Macron's Renaissance lost its majority in the lower house last year, Senators have had more influence when a compromise is necessary with the upper house to pass legislation.

"The Republicains remain a solid opposition and will carry a project for France and the French,” said party president Eric Ciotti.

The left, with the second most seats in the upper house, was divided during these elections, with the hard-left France Unbowed running its own candidates – and not winning any seats – while the Socialists and the Greens ran common candidates in some races.

Junior minister for Citizenship, Sonia Backes, the only member of the French government running in the elections, was defeated in the French territory of New Caledonia.

(with Reuters)