French National Rally Wins Senate Seats, Forms Parliamentary Group

(MENAFN) France’s far-right National Rally (RN), together with its ally Union of the Right for the Republic (UDR), secured 15 seats in Sunday’s Senate elections, allowing the alliance to establish a parliamentary group in the upper chamber for the first time, according to reports.

RN leader Marine Le Pen described the outcome as a “historic victory.” The result comes after the alliance made gains in municipal elections and less than seven months before France’s presidential election.

The RN-UDR alliance captured nine seats in the Mediterranean region, including seven in Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur. RN lawmaker Sebastien Chenu said the outcome “completes our presence in all French institutions.”

French Senate rules require political groups to have at least 10 members. Establishing a group provides additional speaking opportunities and resources while giving its members a stronger role in parliamentary proceedings.

The right, center and Socialist Party are expected to continue as the three largest political forces in the Senate. The conservative Republicans may lose around seven seats, according to a partial count, although some affiliations and overseas election results have yet to be finalized.

The vote also resulted in left-wing France Unbowed (LFI) entering the Senate for the first time. Gabriel Amard won a seat representing the Rhone department, while the party has claimed another victory for Marc Pere in Haute-Garonne, although his political affiliation remains contested.

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