The National Rally (RN), a far-right political party in France, has established its first-ever parliamentary group in the Senate, the upper house of the French parliament. This requires at least ten seats, which the RN has now secured. The development is a major milestone for the party, which previously had only three senators. Party leader Marine Le Pen described the achievement as a "historic victory" and a "major step" less than seven months before the 2027 presidential election. The RN, in an alliance with the Union of the Right for the Republic (UDR), gained seats in several departments, including Bouches-du-Rhône, Var, Gironde, and Alpes-Maritimes. Vice-president Edwige Diaz was elected in Gironde, and the party's vice-president Sébastien Chenu estimated the group could grow to between 12 and 15 senators. La France Insoumise (LFI), a radical left political movement led by Jean-Luc Mélenchon, also made history by securing its first Senate seat. Gabriel Amard, Mélenchon's son-in-law, was elected in the Rhône department, receiving 10.09% of the vote in a proportional representation election. LFI celebrated the result as a "happy omen for 2027." However, the party faced tensions with the Ecologists after failing to elect Martha Peciña among French citizens abroad by just three votes. LFI accused the Ecologists of blocking Peciña's election, while the Ecologists blamed LFI for the loss. The right and center-right blocs maintained their majority in the Senate, with Les Républicains (LR) and the Union centriste continuing to hold control. LR, which had 131 seats before the vote, experienced several losses, especially in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. However, LR candidate Bruno Retailleau was re-elected in Vendée, and the party remains a key force in the upper house. Gérard Larcher, the current president of the Senate, is expected to retain his position. The Socialist Party (PS) remained relatively stable, with some losses in regions like the Creuse but gains in the Doubs and Hérault. The Ecologists, however, faced setbacks, losing seats in Gironde and Alsace. These losses were partly due to the shift in control in cities like Bordeaux and Strasbourg during recent municipal elections. The RN's Senate group is expected to increase its influence, providing additional resources, speaking time, and support for Marine Le Pen's presidential campaign. Meanwhile, LFI anticipates a stronger presence in the Senate by 2029, with the renewal of senators from Île-de-France and the North, where the movement has made recent breakthroughs in local elections.