Activate franceinfo notifications and don’t miss any news
You can change your mind at any time in your browser settings.
• Direct senatorial elections 2026: the first results have just fallen in Hautes-Alpes, Corse-du-Sud and the Territoire de Belfort
If the alliance between the Republicans and the centrists must retain the majority, the suspense remains over the constitution of a possible group for the National Rally or an entry of La France insoumise into the hemicycle of the Luxembourg Palace.
What you need to know
This is the last vote before the presidential election, and the results will therefore be particularly observed by political staffs. The senatorial elections, during which 178 senatorial seats out of 348 are renewed, are held on Sunday September 27. The first results have just fallen, in the Hautes-Alpes, in Corse-du-Sud and in the Territoire de Belfort, and can be consulted in our map. Follow our live stream.
Towards a new breakthrough for the RN? Jordan Bardella will follow the results in Var, where his party recorded a surge during the municipal elections last March. The far-right party hopes to be able to reach the bar of ten senators, necessary for the creation of a parliamentary group. Other issues to follow: the possible entry into the hemicycle of an LFI elected official and the evolution of the balance of power within the majority between the centrists and LR.
Gérard Larcher candidate for re-election. Since 2008, the President of the Senate has occupied the platform, the equivalent of the perch in the National Assembly, almost continuously. And he wants to come back for three more years. “It’s going to shake up even more in the coming months, it’s not bad to have someone who embodies stability,” one of his supporters confides to franceinfo. The election for President of the Senate will take place on Thursday, October 1.
A compulsory vote. The participation rate will be 100%, or almost. A figure that will make all those who criticize abstention during elections dream. Electoral voters are in fact forced to travel to place their ballots in the ballot box, otherwise they must pay a fine of 100 euros, according to the provisions of article L318 of the Electoral Code.
What is the Senate for? Like the National Assembly, the Senate passes laws and has the power to control the government. He must bow to the National Assembly in the event of disagreement between the two chambers on a legal text. Specifically, the Senate “ensures the representation of the territorial authorities of the Republic”, provides article 24 of the Constitution. Bills concerning the organization of local authorities must be examined first at the Luxembourg Palace.
franceinfo
0 seconds ago
#SENATORIALS The right and the center retain their seats in three departments. Thus, the centrist Jean-Michel Arnaud was re-elected in the first round in the Hautes-Alpes, as were the Republican elected officials Jean-Jacques Panuzzi in Corse-du-Sud and Cédric Perrin in the Territoire de Belfort. Find all the results in our interactive map.
franceinfo alert
0 seconds ago
#SENATORIALS The first results of the senatorial elections have just fallen in the Hautes-Alpes, in Corse-du-Sud and in the Territoire de Belfort.
update on the news
0 seconds ago
It's noon, here's the mid-day update on the headlines:
#PAPE Third day in France for the Pope. From Lourdes (Hautes-Pyrénées), Leo XIV encouraged the Church of France to “continue” its action in the face of the “scourge” of sexual violence, during a closed-door meeting this morning. He must speak at the end of the day with hand-picked victims of sexual violence, to the great dismay of many associations. Follow our live stream.
#SENATORIALESResults which will be closely scrutinized by political staffs. The senatorial elections, during which 178 senatorial seats out of 348 are renewed, are being held today. This is a ballot by indirect universal suffrage, with a system of electors chosen from among local elected officials. Follow our live stream.
#MIDDLE EAST Negotiations at an impasse. After US President Donald Trump's rejection last night of the Iranian plan submitted to him to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the Iranian Foreign Minister said he was maintaining his conditions. “We will not return to this,” declared Abbas Araghchi, quoted by state television.
#CYCLING Can Paul Seixas really dream of the rainbow jersey in the road race of the Cycling Worlds? In the absence of the big favorite Tadej Pogacar, the young French runner has in any case displayed his desire to “win” in front of the press. The Lyonnais will start the race in Montreal at 9 a.m. local, or 3 p.m. in France.
franceinfo
0 seconds ago
#SENATORIALESThe first results of the senatorial elections should fall soon. In the meantime, here are the main issues of the ballot:
The National Rally hopes to be able to reach the bar of ten senators, necessary for the creation of a parliamentary group. An achievable goal, after the good results of the far-right party during the last municipal elections.
Rebellious France could enter the upper house. Gabriel Amard, son-in-law of Jean-Luc Mélenchon, is the one who has the most chance of being elected, in the Rhône.
Will the Republicans and centrists retain the majority? The alliance between the LR and the centrists should always retain the majority. However, the Republicans could nevertheless suffer from the good results of the RN in the south of France in the municipal elections.
We will have to see if the results allow the Macronist group to maintain itself. With the death of its president François Patriat this summer, the presidential camp is indeed in the hot seat.
The left could lose its rank as second group. Particularly among environmentalists, who fear suffering the repercussions of their poor results in the municipal elections.
franceinfo
0 seconds ago
#SENATORIALS It's the last vote before the presidential election! The senatorial elections, during which 178 senatorial seats out of 348 are renewed, are being held today. This is a ballot by indirect universal suffrage, with a system of electors chosen from among local elected officials. The political face of the Senate will therefore be a translation of the last municipal elections. To understand everything about these elections, I invite you to read (or reread) this article by Thibaud Le Meneec and Laure Cometti.
update on the news
0 seconds ago
It's 9 a.m., here's the first update on the day's news:
#PAPE Third day in France for the Pope. Direction Lourdes (Hautes-Pyrénées), where Léon Follow our live stream.
#SENATORIALESThe results will therefore be particularly observed by political staffs. The senatorial elections, during which 178 senatorial seats out of 348 are renewed, are being held today. This is a ballot by indirect universal suffrage, with a system of electors chosen from among local elected officials. Follow our live stream.
#MIDDLE EAST Iran has said it is maintaining the conditions of its plan to reopen the strategic Strait of Hormuz, despite rejection from US President Donald Trump. “Our conditions are clear, and any movement towards the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz depends on the satisfaction of these conditions. We will not go back on them,” declared Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, quoted by state television.
#SOUTH_AFRICA Two fatal shootings took place last night in South Africa, in the large cities of Cape Town and Johannesburg, according to reports communicated by the police. In total, 27 people died and 26 were injured.
