2010 French regional elections

Regional elections were held in France on the 14th and 21st of March 2010. The Presidential seat for each of France's 26 régions were up for election, which have economic influence and control over the region despite a lack of legislative control.

The elections resulted in significant gains for the French Socialist Party (PS) and their allies, who went on to control 21 of the 22 regions of Metropolitan France.

Situation

Following the 2004 elections, which saw a historic victory of the left led by the Socialist Party (PS), only the regions Alsace and Corsica were still run by the Union for a Popular Movement (UMP). The left gained voters on a 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 ran for a second term in an election which generally favoured popular incumbents and anti-government voters. However, the left was divided between the PS and Europe Ecology, 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 was favoured by its unity, notably by its new alliances with Philippe de Villiers' Movement for France (MPF) and Frédéric Nihous' Hunting, Fishing, Nature, Tradition (CPNT). Yet, despite the newfound unity, the right lacked a large voter reserve in the eventuality of a second round, where it could only count on partial support from supporters of the centrist Democratic Movement (MoDem), and the far-right National Front (FN). In addition, the growing unpopularity of President Nicolas Sarkozy hurt the right in an election where voters tended to sanction the incumbent government in Paris.

On the far-right, the FN was weakened by its previous electoral failures since 2007, but nevertheless remained a significant force in French politics., "ANALYSIS – France's Le Pen writes his way back into script," by Crispian Balmer (15 March 2010 – retrieved on 17 March 2010).The Daily Telegraph, "Nicolas Sarkozy identity debate 'boosted votes for far-Right,'" by Henry Samuel (15 March 2010 – retrieved on 17 March 2010).Associated Press, "Sarkozy's party loses first-round vote in France," by Angela Charlton (14 March 2010 – retrieved on 17 March 2010). Voter apathy was high, with 49% of voters abstaining, while others shifted their support to extreme parties on both the left and right.

Main political parties and strategies

Left

The parties to the left of the PS were divided over their electoral strategy. On one side, the far-left and the New Anticapitalist Party (NPA) refused to participate in an executive led by the PS; but the French Communist Party (PCF) wished 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 did not 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 were Burgundy, Champagne-Ardenne, 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. 23 November 2009

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 fought alone, notably against Left Front lists. However, in three regions – Languedoc-Roussillon, Limousin and Pays de la Loire, the NPA opted to support a Left Front list in the first round. Finally, in three of the five regions (except Brittany and Lorraine) where the PCF opted to support the PS in the first round, lists with the support of the PG were formed.

Contrarily to 2004, when it ran common lists with the LCR, the Workers' Struggle was 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 also had the support of the Left Radical Party in all regions except Brittany. In Poitou-Charentes, Ségolène Royal integrated five MoDem candidates on her lists.Régionales : Le MoDem de Charente-Maritime accepte l'alliance avec Royal 16 January 2010

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, opposed Georges Frêche's list in Languedoc-Roussillon.

Ecologists

Strong from its excellent result in the European elections, the Europe Ecology coalition was renewed around the Greens and associated parties and movements. Europe Ecology ran 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 Île-de-France from the PS.Libération 09/01/2009 The coalition's candidates included 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, was running independent lists in 10 regions. The AEI had signed electoral deals with Europe Ecology in Alsace and Midi-Pyrénées, and 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 Ecology over the MoDem. 18 February 2010

Centre

After the deceiving result of the European elections, François Bayrou'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 was deemed unlikely that any MoDem lists would merge with UMP lists for the runoffs.

The Presidential Majority

Nicolas Sarkozy 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 were leading regional lists, and eight other cabinet members were present on the majority's lists.Régionales : les ministres sur le front 28 January 2010

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 was 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 Pen was a candidate in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur and his daughter Marine Le Pen was a candidate in 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.

Polling

Nationwide polling

PartyOpinionWay01/10/09CSA01/10/09OpinionWay29 October 2009OpinionWay19 November 2009Ifop20 November 2009OpinionWay10/12/09CSA17 January 2010Ifop26 January 2010TNS Sofres04/02/10OpinionWay08/02/10CSA14 February 2010Ifop17 February 2010OpinionWay20 February 2010Ifop28 February 2010 Presidential MajorityAnd other allies, including the Modern Left, the Forum of Social Republicans, the Radical Party and the Progressives36%31%33%31%30%30%33%27%30%30%33%29.5%32%27.5% PS19%21%21%22%21%23%22%27%28%27%27%29%26%31% Europe Ecology16%17%15%16%15%14%15%13%13%10%13%11%14%13% FN6%8%9%9%8%10%7%8.5%8.5%9%8%9%9%9.5% MoDem7%8%6%7%6%8%9%6.5%4%6%5%5%5%4% Left Front8%6%6%6%7%4%6%5%6%6%4%6.5%5%6.5% NPA5%6%5%4%4%4%5%3%3.5%4%3%2.5%2%2% LO —3% — —2%2%3%2%3%1%2%1%1%1.5% OthersIncludes the AEI, far-right lists, regionalists or Left Front - NPA common lists3% —5%5%7%5%—8%4%7%5%5.5%7%5%

PartyCSA01/03/10TNS Sofres04/03/10http://tempsreel.nouvelobs.com/depeches/societe/20100304.FAP1990/regionales_les_listes_de_droite_a_31_des_intentions_de_.html OpinionWay05/03/10CSA05/03/10 Presidential Majority29%30%31%27% PS30%28%27%31% Europe Ecology15%12%13%14% FN8%8%9%9% MoDem5%4%5%5% Left Front5%7%6%6% NPA2%1.5%3%2% LO2%2.5%1%2% Others4%7%5%4%

National results

Among the 1880 seats, 41 were attributed at the first round (Guadeloupe) and 1839 at the second round.

First round

Abstention : 53.67%

Second round

Abstention : 48.79%

Regional results

The following tables show the results in the first round of voting which took place on 14 March 2010 and, where applicable, in the second round of voting which took place on 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

2010 French regional elections

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