Normandy has one officially recognized far-right mayor

In Normandy, only one mayor is officially recognized as far right: Tony Leprêtre, mayor of Harfleur in Seine-Maritime. He is a member of the movement Les Patriotes, founded by former FN deputy Florian Philippot. However, many other mayors in small communes are not officially affiliated with the far right but are suspected of supporting its ideas discreetly.

Unofficial far-right alliances in local politics

Unofficially, many mayors from small and very small communes in Normandy are suspected of supporting far-right ideas without being affiliated with a party. They often claim to be "without a label." Le Poulpe, a local investigative outlet, has been working to uncover these hidden alliances as part of an initiative called "On a already tried," involving seven independent local media.

Senate support for the far right

In the Senate, the National Rally (RN) can form a group with its allies from the Union of the Right (UDR), led by Eric Ciotti, following the senatorial elections at the end of September. The election of Léon Levasseur, the first RN senator from Normandy, marks a significant development for the party's local presence.

Mayors without a label and far-right connections

Many mayors who claim to be "without a label" are found to have connections with far-right deputies. For example, Timothée Houssin, an RN deputy in the Eure, was convicted in July for embezzlement related to RN assistants at the European Parliament. He has been photographed with mayors without a label and thanked them publicly for their hospitality.

Far-right figures and mayors without a label

In the Eure, mayor Francis Sauvalle of Harquency posted a message from the page Soral Kulture after meeting with far-right parliamentarian Alain Soral, known for his antisemitic views. In Seine-Maritime, RN deputy Patrice Martin gave a medal to a mayor without a label, Jacky Baudon, who was re-elected shortly after. This shows how mayors without a label can be closely associated with far-right figures.

Endorsements for far-right candidates

According to the Constitutional Council, the nationalist bloc collected 138 endorsements from mayors and deputy mayors for the 2022 presidential election. The Manche, Seine-Maritime, and Calvados had the highest number of endorsements. These endorsements were mainly from men over 65, with farmers and former farmers making up a significant portion of the group.

Mayors and their potential future endorsements

Some mayors who endorsed far-right candidates in 2022 could again support similar candidates in the future. For example, Romain Bail, mayor of Ouistreham, endorsed Éric Zemmour in 2022 despite Zemmour’s history of racist statements. Bail described his support as allowing free expression of democracy.

Strategic changes in the far right's approach

With the change of presidency in 2011, the far right shifted its strategy. Marine Le Pen aimed to secure endorsements from mayors and municipal councilors to meet the 500-signature requirement. Some mayors have since joined the RN, such as Pascal Cotard, who surprised residents of his commune by joining the party shortly after being elected.

Mayors joining the far right after elections

In the Manche, some mayors have joined the RN after the municipal elections. Franck Simon, a departmental delegate for the RN, noted that many of these mayors are from small communes and have previously supported the right. In the Orne, Jean-Édouard Gueugnon, a new mayor, has a history of far-right affiliations, though he now claims to be "without a label."

Mayors' ambiguous political positions

Tony Leprêtre, mayor of Harfleur, claims to be "without a label" but has posted climate-skeptical statements and criticized wind farms. His office has not responded to inquiries about his political affiliations. Researchers suggest that mayors without a label may align with far-right groups due to the influence of local organizations and the presence of far-right deputies in their areas.