French far-right gains ground in first round of local elections

The far-right National Rally party made significant gains in the first round of France's municipal elections. Its candidate in Marseille is tied with the leftist incumbent mayor, putting the party in a strong position to potentially win control of a major city for the first time.

In Paris, the race is more fragmented. Socialist candidate Grégoire is leading, but faces competition from leftist rival Chikirou and conservative candidate Bournazel. Conservative candidate Dati, however, was distanced in the first-round results.