Historic gains for France’s far-right in local elections

Reports of the first round of local elections held in France on the 24 March 2014.

France24 and other news sources reported that France’s far-right National Front party (FN) hailed an 'exceptional' showing in the elections, after winning historic levels of support in a number of towns and cities.

President Francois Hollande's Socialists lost ground overall and may lose control of some major towns. The vote was seen as a key test for the Socialists, deeply unpopular after nearly two years in power.

Where a candidate did not gain an outright majority in the first round, a second round of voting would take place in many towns and cities on the 30 March 2014.

• Primary Source

BBC News, 23.03.14: France election: National Front makes gains http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-26707588

The Local.fr, 24.03.14: Battle for Paris: Outsider NKM leads Hidalgo http://www.thelocal.fr/20140324/paris-nkm-leads-hidalgo-after-first-round

The Local.fr, 23.03.14: Historic results for French far-right party http://www.thelocal.fr/20140323/french-far-right-party-poised-for-histor

The Guardian, 23.02.14: French far-right Front National party makes big gains in local elections http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/mar/23/france-far-right-front-national-gains-elections

Wikipedia: French municipal elections, 2014 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_municipal_elections,_2014

EUObserver, 24.03.14: Far-right gives Hollande a bloody nose in French voting http://euobserver.com/news/123596

EurActiv, 24.03.14: French far-right gains in local elections ahead of EU vote http://www.euractiv.com/sections/eu-elections-2014/french-far-right-gains-local-elections-ahead-eu-vote-301087

Euronews, 23.03.14: Hollande braced for heavy losses in French local elections http://www.euronews.com/2014/03/23/hollande-braced-for-heavy-losses-in-french-local-elections/

France24, 24.03.14: France’s ‘Republican Front’ in tatters as FN surges http://www.france24.com/en/20140324-france-national-front-mayoral-elections/

The Local.fr, 24.03.14: French elections: The key points from round one http://www.thelocal.fr/20140324/what-you-need-to-know-about-the-first-round-of-elections

BBC News, 24.03.14: France election: National Front gains trigger alarm http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-26715061

Open Europe, 24.03.14: Marine means business: Front National makes big gains in French local elections http://www.openeuropeblog.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/marine-means-business-front-national.html

Deutsche Welle, 24.03.14: French Socialists announce new strategy to counter Front National http://dw.de/p/1BVEM

Politis, 24.03.14: Hollande government deserved slap in the face (via Euro|Topics) http://www.eurotopics.net/en/home/presseschau/archiv/aehnliche/archiv_article/ARTICLE140635-Hollande-government-deserved-slap-in-the-face

Le Nouvel Observateur, 25.03.14: Front National now a party like any other (via Euro|Topics) http://www.eurotopics.net/en/home/presseschau/archiv/aehnliche/archiv_article/ARTICLE140730-Front-National-now-a-party-like-any-other

Blog: Charlemagne, 24.03.14: French politics. Marine Le Pen's triumph http://www.economist.com/blogs/charlemagne/2014/03/french-politics-1

France 24, 24.04.14: New far-right mayor moves to quash Paris region mosque http://www.france24.com/en/20140423-far-right-national-front-mosque-mantes-la-ville/

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