The election of Raphaële Schober as mayor of Wittelsheim in Haut-Rhin was overturned by the administrative court in Strasbourg on Tuesday, October 6. The court ruled that two irregularities had occurred during the election process, which it said "undermined the sincerity of the vote" and therefore justified canceling the results. The court specifically mentioned the small margin of votes between the first and second candidate lists as a key concern. Schober, a retired gendarme, had won the March 2026 municipal election by just 17 votes over the previous mayor, Yves Geopfert, who was a centrist. Wittelsheim is a small town near Mulhouse with a population of about 10,000. It was notable for being the only commune in Alsace where the National Rally, a far-right political party in France, managed to win a local election. This made Schober’s election particularly significant, as it represented a rare victory for the party in the region. However, the court’s decision now means that the National Rally did not end up with an elected official in the town. The annulment of the election came after appeals were filed by the Haut-Rhin prefecture and the former mayor, Yves Geopfert. The court’s ruling highlighted that Schober had finished well ahead in the first round of voting. It also pointed out that negotiations for a potential "republican front"—a coalition of centrist and left-wing parties—had failed, which led to the retention of four different candidate lists in the second round. This situation, the court suggested, may have influenced the final outcome. Following the court’s decision, the city hall of Wittelsheim avoided having a mayor from the far right. The town will now need to hold a new election to determine its next mayor. This case has drawn attention to the importance of ensuring fair and transparent electoral processes, especially in local elections where small margins can have significant consequences.