Andrea Innocenti The indirect election of senators, held on Sunday, marked a decisive turning point for the National Rally ( RN ). With 14 seats won, the party led by Marine Le Pen reached the threshold of ten senators needed to form an independent parliamentary group , a feat never achieved before in the history of the French upper house.
Until 2023, the RN held just three seats in the Senate, after first entering in 2014 with two seats when it was still known as the National Front. The explosion of new votes in the March election, which strengthened its local apparatus, was key to transforming its senatorial presence from marginal to significant.
The election result: 14 seats and the birth of the RN-UDR group
Of the 178 seats at stake in the 64 departments, the RN added nine new senators to the three already present, bringing the total to 12. The alliance with the Union des Droites pour la République ( UDR ), which elected two senators, pushed the count to 14, exceeding the minimum threshold to form an official delegation by four.
This will allow the group to access dedicated funding and to call for the creation of a senatorial commission of inquiry each year.
The formation of the RN-UDR group also entails the possibility of more direct intervention in legislative drafting, while maintaining the National Assembly 's primary role in confirming the governing majority. The new bloc will therefore be able to influence legislative debates and consolidate its presence in the region, especially along the Mediterranean coast, where the party has seen widespread growth.
The political context: the dominant right and the prospects for 2027
Despite the rise of the RN, the traditional majority remains in the hands of the center-right Republican Party ( LR ) and their centrist allies, who still have between 124 and 126 senators, down from the previous 131. The Centrist Union, on the other hand, maintains around 72 seats. This slight erosion has been partially offset by the advance of the RN-UDR, but the senatorial landscape remains dominated by three main forces: the right, the center, and the Socialists.
The result comes just months before the 2027 presidential election, in which Marine Le Pen is already considered a favorite. In 2024, the RN became the largest party in the Chamber of Deputies following the snap elections called by Emmanuel Macron, despite falling short of an absolute majority. The new force in the Senate could therefore increase its ability to influence the election campaign and put pressure on Macron's centrist government, which is nearing the end of its term.
Leaders' reactions and perceptions for the future
Marine Le Pen called the victory "a historic victory, a decisive step" in a social media post, emphasizing that the group's formation represents "an important step towards the 2027 elections." Jordan Bardella, president of the RN, also emphasized that the new senators will work with the UDR to build a "solid alliance" within the upper chamber.
The outgoing Senate President, Gérard Larcher (LR), acknowledged the creation of the ninth group, calling it "a consequence of the results of the municipal elections." He also called on all parliamentarians to maintain a "calm and reasoned debate." Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu, for his part, assured that the government "will work with everyone, respecting parliamentary debate and the institutions." The new senators will officially take office on October 1st, the same day the new Senate President will also be elected.