Nîmes Election: French Right Struggles to Hold Key City Against Left & RN

Political Shifts in Nîmes as National Rally Challenges for Mayoral Seat

Nîmes, a city historically held by the right, could see a significant political shift as Julien Sanchez of the Rassemblement National (RN) enters the race for mayor. The decision, confirmed on January 17th, positions the RN to potentially disrupt the established order in the city, which has been under right-wing control for nearly 25 years.

Sanchez, formerly the mayor of Beaucaire and currently serving as the RN’s campaign coordinator, will challenge for the position after Yoann Gillet, the current RN representative for the Nîmes district, declined to run. This move comes after a disappointing result for the RN in the 2024 French parliamentary elections, where the party failed to achieve the anticipated broad success it experienced in earlier elections, according to reports from July 2024.

The current mayoral situation in Nîmes is complicated by the outgoing mayor, Jean-Paul Fournier, 80 years old, choosing not to seek re-election. This has triggered a divisive succession battle within the right-wing parties. Franck Proust, the current first deputy mayor, is vying for the position, backed by Les Républicains (LR), Horizons, UDI, and the party Nouvelle Energie. He faces opposition from Julien Plantier, a former first deputy who entered into dissent in early 2025 and is running alongside Valérie Rouverand of Renaissance.

Bruno Retailleau, the leader of Les Républicains, has called for unity behind Proust, emphasizing the risk of a victory for the far-left if the right-wing vote is divided. Retailleau warned that a win for the left would represent a “decline” for Nîmes, and stressed that the city “does not need experimentation,” implicitly referencing both the left and the RN.

Retailleau also addressed concerns about past voter shifts to the right, acknowledging that previous reluctance to address immigration concerns contributed to those changes. He stated that, during his time as Minister of the Interior, he recognized that France’s capacity for welcoming immigrants had been exceeded.

The left-wing opposition is attempting to present a united front, led by Vincent Bouget, a 46-year-old communist teacher. However, La France Insoumise (LFI) is not participating in this unified list. Bouget believes the divisions within the right signal a weakening of their political project and a growing desire for change within the city.

The RN’s entry into the race, with Julien Sanchez as its candidate, is viewed as a serious threat. Sanchez, who served as mayor of Beaucaire for ten years until 2024, has stated that the current situation is “grave” and that the far-left could legitimately win the city due to the “stupidity and egos” of the outgoing right-wing administration. He warned that a victory for the far-left would be detrimental to Nîmes.

The RN secured all six seats for the Gard department during the 2024 legislative elections, demonstrating its growing strength in the region. Despite this, the 2024 elections overall were a source of “bitterness and denial” for the RN, as the party failed to achieve the majority it had predicted, according to a report from July 8, 2024.

Turnout in the 2024 legislative elections reached a record high of almost 67 percent, despite fears that voters would abstain if forced to choose between the far-right and far-left.