France's far right suffered a setback on Sunday in regional elections seen as a test of the national mood before the 2022 presidential race.
Marine Le Pen’s National Rally party won fewer votes than expected in the first round and failed to gain a clear advantage in key regions.
“Our voters didn’t turn out,” said Ms Le Pen, who is expected to challenge President Emmanuel Macron in 2022. “I call on them to respond urgently.”
Another Macron challenger, Xavier Bertrand from the centre-right Republicans, celebrated a clear first-round victory over National Rally in northern France.
“We've unlocked the jaws of the National Front in order to smash them here,” Mr Bertrand said, referring to the party by its former name.
The second round will take place next Sunday and typically sees tactical voting to keep the far right out of power.
Ms Le Pen’s party had been tipped to take a clear lead in Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur in southern France, but exit polls showed it taking only a slender lead over the Republicans, with each party projected to win about 30 to 35 per cent of the vote.
Across France, National Rally's vote share of about 19 per cent was nine points lower than its performance at the last regional polls in 2015.
The party, which has never won a regional presidency, emphasised its key issues on policing and immigration during the campaign.
Turnout slumps
Overall turnout was projected to be as low as 31 to 33 per cent, down from 50 per cent in 2015.
The lack of public campaigning because of Covid-19 restrictions was thought to have played a part in the low turnout.
"It's a democratic slap in the face for all of us," Aurore Berge, a leading MP from Mr Macron's centrist LREM party, told French television.
LREM won about 10 to 11 per cent of the vote, underlining its failure to put down regional roots after its success at national elections in 2017.
All 13 regions in mainland France are electing regional assemblies, which have budgets of billions of euros and powers over schools and transport.
"I'm not going to mince words: yes, of course we're disappointed," LREM leader Stanislas Guerini said on French radio.
Mr Macron is expected to seek a second term in 2022 but the list of potential rivals has yet to be finalised.
Aside from Mr Bertrand, possible candidates from the Republicans include Valerie Pecresse, the leader of the Ile-de-France region around Paris, who was on course for a healthy lead.
The French people are telling politicians they do not trust them
Another centre-right possibility is the EU's former Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier.
Ms Le Pen’s candidacy could lead to a rerun of the second round in 2017, in which she lost in a landslide to Mr Macron.
Meanwhile, France’s socialists and ecologists are jockeying for position after the left was heavily beaten in 2017.
Left-wing alliances led by the Socialist Party finished first in five regions.
The Greens said they would continue their campaign in Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur, complicating the position for the second round.
Ms Le Pen said the low turnout had given a misleading impression of the parties’ political strengths.
The high level of voter apathy was a "civic disaster that deformed the electoral reality of the country", she said.
France’s Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin, a member of Mr Macron’s party, said the low turnout was “a defeat for all of us”.
“No-one can be happy when there is a 70 per cent abstention rate, rising to over 80 per cent among young people,” he said.
“The French people are telling politicians they do not trust them.”
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League final:
Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
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MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
More on Quran memorisation:
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
Manchester City 4
Otamendi (52) Sterling (59) Stones (67) Brahim Diaz (81)
Real Madrid 1
Oscar (90)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
HUNGARIAN GRAND PRIX RESULT
1. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari 1:39:46.713
2. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari 00:00.908
3. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes-GP 00:12.462
4. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-GP 00:12.885
5. Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing 00:13.276
6. Fernando Alonso, McLaren 01:11.223
7. Carlos Sainz Jr, Toro Rosso 1 lap
8. Sergio Perez, Force India 1 lap
9. Esteban Ocon, Force India 1 lap
10. Stoffel Vandoorne, McLaren 1 lap
11. Daniil Kvyat, Toro Rosso 1 lap
12. Jolyon Palmer, Renault 1 lap
13. Kevin Magnussen, Haas 1 lap
14. Lance Stroll, Williams 1 lap
15. Pascal Wehrlein, Sauber 2 laps
16. Marcus Ericsson, Sauber 2 laps
17r. Nico Huelkenberg, Renault 3 laps
r. Paul Di Resta, Williams 10 laps
r. Romain Grosjean, Haas 50 laps
r. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull Racing 70 laps
If you go
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Seattle from Dh5,555 return, including taxes.
The car
Hertz offers compact car rental from about $300 (Dh1,100) per week, including taxes. Emirates Skywards members can earn points on their car hire through Hertz.
The national park
Entry to Mount Rainier National Park costs $30 for one vehicle and passengers for up to seven days. Accommodation can be booked through mtrainierguestservices.com. Prices vary according to season. Rooms at the Holiday Inn Yakima cost from $125 per night, excluding breakfast.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
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The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre, twin-turbo V8
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 582bhp
Torque: 730Nm
Price: Dh649,000
On sale: now
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
Fatherland
Kele Okereke
(BMG)
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Match info
UAE v Bolivia, Friday, 6.25pm, Maktoum bin Rashid Stadium, Dubai
