Municipal Elections in France (2014)

The budget deficit of France in 2013 amounted to 4.3% of GDP, instead of the promised 3%, public debt - 93.5% of GDP, unemployment - almost 10%. Moreover, economic growth amounted to only 0.3% of GDP ^[1] . The popularity rating of the government and President Francois Hollande dropped to a record low of 20%. The country's population is extremely dissatisfied with the increase in taxes, stagnation in the economy, unemployment, the state of the environment, and the situation in the school system. Most French are convinced that the measures taken by the authorities to solve these problems are insufficient ^[2] .

The first round was March 23 , the second - March 30 . About 45 million people have the right to vote. The first round of voting took place at a record low turnout - no more than 65 percent of citizens with voting rights ^[3] . According to the results of the elections, 36.5 thousand mayors and heads of municipalities of France, including the mayor of Paris , were determined ^[4] .

First Round

On March 23, the first round of municipal elections took place, according to which the candidates from the Socialist Party were not able to get the majority of votes, gaining an average of 43% of the vote, while the candidates from the Union for the Popular Movement - 48%, and the candidates from the National Front - 7 % In the struggle for the post of mayor of Paris, which socialist Bertrand Delanoë has been occupying since 2001, the candidate for the Union for the Popular Movement Natalie Kosciuszko-Morisé was the leader . Socialist candidate Anne Hidalgo fell by about 1.5% of the vote. ^[3] In 200 cities, the National Front went to the second round of voting: in the city of Henin-Beaumont - 50.26% of the vote, while Avignon and Perpignan did not get the majority of the votes, but took first place among all other parties. In the 1990s, the National Front also won in a number of cities, but then the party showed incompetence and inability to manage the urban economy. Marine Le Pen , who has been leading the party since 2011 , said that such good results mean that her party “has become a powerful independent force - a political force both at the national and local levels” ^[5] .

Second Round

On March 30, the second round of municipal elections took place, as a result of which candidates from the Socialist Party lost control in 155 cities with a population of 9,000 or more, including a dozen cities with a population of more than 100,000. Prime Minister Jean-Marc Herault called their result “the defeat of his cabinet” ^[6] . The main center-right opposition party, Union for the Popular Movement, gained control of a number of key cities, including Toulouse, Kimper, Limoges and Saint-Etienne. SND leader Jean-Francois Cope said the “blue wave” of support that swept through the country. Candidates from the National Front entered the second round in 200 municipalities ^[7] and won in Beziers, Frejus, Toulouse, Saint-Etienne, Angers, Reims, Cannes, Tours, Limoges, Amiens, Argenteuil and Saint-Paul (Reunion) ^[8] , as well as in the seventh district of Marseille, the second largest city in the country, in which about 150 thousand people live ^[9] . Leader of the National Front Marine Le Pen said that her party "has achieved the best results in the history of its existence." Socialist candidates won in Avignon, Strasbourg and Lille ^[10] . Anne Hidalgo won in Paris ^[9] , having worked for 13 years as first deputy mayor of Bertrand Delanoe. According to the results of voting in 20 districts of Paris, the Socialist Party secured a majority in the city council, which on April 5 will vote for the new mayor. Anne Hidalgo said:

In general, the Socialist Party was defeated, gaining 40.6% of the vote, “Union for the Popular Movement” - 45.9% of voters, the National Front - 6.8%, independent candidates - 6.6% of the vote ^[12] . Journalists compared the defeat of the Socialist Party to the defeat of the Napoleonic army by the Russian troops in the war of 1812, using the word " Berezina ". And Marine Le Pen, commenting on the failure of the socialists, said:

On March 31, in a televised address, French President Francois Hollande dismissed Prime Minister Jean-Marc Herault , along with the entire government ^[14] . The reason for the resignation was the results of municipal elections ^[15] . On the same day in his place, Hollande appointed Interior Minister Manuel Waltz . According to Hollande, Waltz has all the qualities necessary for the successful leadership of the cabinet. Now he has to form a government that can achieve three main objectives: improving the economy, development of production and social justice ^[8] .

• French National Front - Party of the Poor?
• Steps right. "National Front" Marine Le Pen confidently gaining strength
• From left to right: Hollande's “Berezina” in local elections, “Makhnovists” Le Pen and “Mother” of Paris