France - September 2023

In Senatorial elections held on 24 September, the Les Républicains party, together with its centre-right allies, held on to its dominant position in the Senate. President Macron faced further setbacks in the legislature, after his party lost its majority in the lower house in June 2022. Sonia Backès, the only member of government with a contested seat in the election, was defeated in New Caledonia by a pro-independence candidate, and subsequently offered her resignation from her post as Secretary of State of Citizenship. The far-right Rassemblement National party secured three seats in constituencies in Northern France. At stake in the elections were 170 seats (almost half of the body’s total 348) in 38 metropolitan departments, as well as six overseas territories and six constituencies of French citizens resident abroad. The Senate will be composed of 126 female representatives (to 222 male representatives).

 Sources: Le Monde (1), Le Monde (2), Le Monde (3), Reuters, France24, RFI, IPU