Marine Le Pen hails RN senate surge as ‘milestone’ towards French presidency

National Rally and allies gain record 14 seats and can form senate group for first time after indirect vote by local officials

The French far-right leader Marine Le Pen has said her 2027 presidential campaign will be boosted after her anti-immigration party, the National Rally (RN), and its allies improved to a record 14 seats in partial senate elections this weekend.

Le Pen called the results a historic victory" and a major milestone" after her party cleared the 10-seat threshold to be able to form a senate group for the first time, after an indirect vote by local officials including mayors and councillors.