Europe France's regional vote recasts 2022 election battle -- Political analysts expected France's regional elections to reflect the outlook for next year's presidential vote: a duel between President Macron and far-right candidate Marine Le Pen. Instead, they've created -- -- Lisa Louis reports from Paris The elections in France's 18 administrative regions, five of which are overseas territories, were supposed to be a boost for far-right -- overseas territories, were supposed to be a boost for far-right candidate Marine Le Pen's campaign in the 2022 presidential election. Polls ahead of the first round of voting on June 20 were showing Le -- -- "I'd like to thank all those who have turned out to vote, although everything pushed them to abstain," she said in front of TV cameras, referring to a "disastrous and erratic" election organization, voter disenchantment with Macron's policies and France's "never-ending [COVID] lockdown." -- -- [COVID] lockdown." "The presidential elections appear more than ever as the election to change politics and I invite all French people to, from tomorrow on, construct together with me the alternative that France needs," she -- -- "Yes, a high share of her voters didn't turn out — but [it was the same with] supporters of the other parties," he told DW. "What's more, the election campaign was very much focused on Le Pen's core topics: immigration, insecurity, Islam — and yet, her party didn't win." -- -- be more prudent with the surveys that predict Le Pen will be facing President Emmanuel Macron in the runoff vote in next year's presidential election?" His note of caution is also addressed to Macron, whose Republic on the -- -- The president, who surged to power in 2017 with his brand-new party, had hoped for another strong outcome and even sent several of his ministers into the election fight. "The result is a warning shot to his party, which still depends mainly -- -- willing to vote for other parties." Meanwhile, it was a good election night for what Macron likes to call, dismissively, "the parties of the old world." -- -- "So maybe these parties are not as dead as people were saying after Macron swept to power in the 2017 presidential elections," said Gilles Ivaldi, a Nice-based research fellow for politics at France's National Center for Scientific Research. -- -- "What's more, the Socialists did manage to form some alliances with other left-wing parties," he said. "All this will definitely have an impact on the upcoming election campaign." And there is one other key moment of Sunday's results, said Philippe -- -- Marliere, a French-born professor for French and European politics at University College London: the abstention rate, the highest ever in any French election. "This just shows how disenchanted the French are with our political -- -- That's something parties will have to address, no matter which one wins next year's presidential election. * A yellow vest demonstrator has a picture of Macron on it with the word, 'dictator' under his face (Reuters/C. Platiau) -- -- Mad at Macron Since his election in May 2016, French President Emmanuel Macron's popularity has fallen steadily thanks to unpopular financial policies, such as ending a wealth tax, and his public manner, which -- -- * All videos DW News * All videos in Media Center * Related Subjects France, French presidential election 2017, Emmanuel Macron -- Emmanuel Macron * Keywords France, regional elections, Marine le Pen, Emmanuel Macron, 2022 France presidential election * Send us your feedback. * Print Print this page