In the very big cities, the presidential majority – quite relative now – is no longer as popular as it was five years ago. In the legislative elections of 2017, En Marche!, the brand new political offer launched by Emmanuel Macron, had won over the electorate of the metropolises and its candidates for deputy had conquered many constituencies there. In the legislative elections of 2022, the situation has changed. At the end of the second round, Sunday June 19, the candidates of Ensemble!, the coalition of support for the Head of State, lost many constituencies in Paris, Nantes, Marseille or Toulouse, mostly to the benefit of the New People’s Ecological and Social Union (Nupes), the left-wing alliance notably bringing together La France insoumise, Europe Ecologie-Les Verts, the Socialist Party and the Communist Party. A shift in electoral geography illustrated by franceinfo in four animated maps.
Paris split in two between Together! and Nupes
In Paris, the outgoing presidential majority loses six constituencies, taken by Nupes. A coup from the left alliance. By adding the constituency taken from the Republicans, the Nupes manages to get their hands on nine constituencies, describing an arc encompassing the east of Paris. Together ! however, conquers the entire west of the capital, depriving LR of two constituencies. “It reflects a general sociological divide between the historically popular East and the bourgeois West”analyzes the geographer Jean Rivière in Release (paid item).
In Nantes, Together! loses three constituencies taken by Nupes
In 2017, LREM achieved the grand slam, winning the five Nantes constituencies. In 2022, the Nupes candidates defeated three of the five incumbents. The legislative elections confirm a shift already visible in the first round of the presidential election: Jean-Luc Mélenchon had indeed preceded Emmanuel Macron with a score of 33.11% for the candidate of La France insoumise, against 29.64% for the outgoing president.
In Toulouse, the Nupes takes over four of the five constituencies in Together!
In 2017, Toulouse elected Macronist deputies in its five constituencies. In 2022, the macronie lost its luster in the Pink City. Four constituencies were conquered by the Nupes. Only outgoing LREM MP Corinne Vignon saves her seat in the 3rd constituency. As in Nantes, the legislative elections confirm the trend observed in the presidential election. Jean-Luc Mélenchon had distanced Emmanuel Macron by ten points in the first round: 36.95% against 26.39%.
In Marseille, a push from the left
In Marseille, the supporters of Emmanuel Macron lose three constituencies in the north and center in favor of the Nupes and the RN, which is entering the Marseille city. But Together! partly compensates for its losses by taking from LR the two constituencies in the east of the city. Like the conquest of western Paris by Together!, these Marseille takeovers reflect the righting of Emmanuel Macron’s electoral base.