Regional elections in were held in France on 21 and 28 March 2004. At stake were the presidencies of each of France's 26 regions which, although they do not have legislative powers, manage sizeable budgets. The results were a triumph for the parties of the left, led by the French Socialist Party (PS) in alliance with minor parties, including the French Communist Party (PCF), the Left Radical Party (PRG) and The Greens (Les Verts). The left has usually fared moderately well in regional elections, but this was their best result since the regional system was introduced.
The left won control of twenty of the twenty-two regions of metropolitan France, defeating the parties of the mainstream right, the Union for a Popular Movement (UMP) and the Union for French Democracy (UDF), and the extreme right National Front (FN). The results were seen as a major setback for the then President Jacques Chirac and Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin.
National results
GroupingPartiesVotes (Round One)% (Round One)Votes (Round Two)% (Round Two)RegionsSeats LeftPS-Verts-PCF-PRG-MRC-DVG8,938,69536.86%12,896,82049.91%231,126 RightUMP-UDF-MPF-DVD8,179,86633.73%9,519,41636.84%2522 FNFN3,564,05914.70%3,199,39212.38% –156 Far-leftLCR/LO1,199,1904.95% – – – – The GreensLes Verts-UDB-PO546,4742.25% – – – – CPNTCPNT397,0241.64% – – – – EcologistsMEI-GE-CAP21385,4811.59% – – – – Far-RightMNR-Alsace d'abord349,1811.44% – – – –Miscellaneous Left252,6201.04%111,7200.43% –36Miscellaneous Right179,0150.74%11,0940.04% –4 Miscellaneous 164,3970.68% – – – – RegionalistsMIM-Corsican regionalists94,3510.39%99,5120.39%136Total24,250,353100.00%25,837,954100.00%261,880
Results by region
The first round was held on 21 March. Since no candidate gained a majority in any region, a second round was held on 28 March, in which only candidates who polled more than 10% in the first round were eligible to run (except in Corsica, where the threshold is 5%). The UMP seat numbers are compared to those of the RPR and RPR dissidents together in 1998, the UDF seat numbers are compared to those of the UDF and UDF dissidents together in 1998.
Alsace
See Alsace Regional Council
CandidatePartyVotes (Round One)% (Round One)Votes (Round Two)% (Round Two) Adrien Zeller (incumbent)UMP225,19334.06%299,35343.56% Jacques BigotPS-Verts133,03820.12%236,70934.44% Patrick BinderFN122,86018.58%151,18722.00% Robert SpielerAlsace d'abord62,2539.42% – – Antoine WaechterMEI48.9497.40% – – Alfred WahlPCF-PRG-MRC24,6923.73% – – Patrick MerckDivers23,5403.56% – – Françoise RuchLCR/LO20,0043.03% – – Pascale GraussFederalist Party5780.09% – –Total661,107100,00%687,249100,00%
Regional Council Party seats change +/-•Union for a Popular Movement 18 +11Socialist Party 8 –National Front 8 -5•Union for French Democracy 7 -2The Greens 4 +3•Miscellaneous Right 2 -1Alsace d'Abord 0 -3Women of Alsace 0 -2Independent Ecological Movement 0 -1
Conservative Alsace is one of only two regions retained by the right.
Aquitaine
CandidatePartyVotes (Round One)% (Round One)Votes (Round Two)% (Round Two) Alain Rousset (incumbent)PS-PRG-Verts516,39238.42%769,89354.87% Xavier Darcos UMP-CNIP247,23218.40%469,38633.46% Jacques ColombierFN153,85911.45%163,73111.67% François BayrouUDF215,79616.06% – – Jean Saint-JosseCPNT96,9257.21% – – Annie GuilhametPCF-MRC58,4854.35% – – Martine MailfertLCR/LO55,2154.11% – –Total1,343,904100.00%1,403,010100.00%
Regional Council
Party seats change +/-•Socialist Party 43 +15Union for a Popular Movement 12 -1Union for French Democracy 9 -6•The Greens 9 +6National Front 7 -2•Miscellaneous Left 4 +4•Left Radical Party 1 +1Hunting, Fishing, Nature, Traditions 0 -8French Communist Party 0 -8Citizen and Republican Movement 0 -1
Aquitaine is a traditional stronghold of the left.
Auvergne
CandidatePartyVotes (Round One)% (Round One)Votes (Round Two)% (Round Two) Pierre-Joël Bonté PS167,43328.22%333,30152.67% Valéry Giscard d'Estaing (incumbent)UMP-UDF-FRS215,92136.39%299,48347.33% Louis de CondéFN56,8749.58% André ChassaignePCF54,6099.20% – – Yves GueydonVerts33,2725.61% – – Marie SavreLCR/LO25,3894.28% – –Hugues AuvrayMiscellaneous Right-wing20,4983.45% – – Hubert ConstanciasMEI-Mouvement Hommes-Animaux-Nature20,4983.45% – – Claude JaffrèsMNR6,1081.03% – –Total593,391100.00%632,784100.00%
Regional Council
Party seats change +/-•Socialist Party 18 +7Union for a Popular Movement 12 +4•French Communist Party 7 +1•The Greens 5 +2Union for French Democracy 3 -6Miscellaneous Right 1 -2Movement for France 1 –National Front 0 -4•Miscellaneous Left 0 -1Ecology Generation 0 -1
The former President of France, Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, was seeking a fourth term as President of Auvergne.
Brittany
+Results of the 2004 Brittany regional electionLeader Party (alliance members)First roundSecond roundSeatsVotes%Votes%#%Jean-Yves Le Drian Socialist Party (PCF - PRG)521,82338.47840,98958.785869.90Pascale Loget The Greens (UDB - Frankiz Breizh)131,5509.70Josselin de Rohan Union for a Popular Movement347,13425.59589,63741.222530.10Bruno Joncour Union for French Democracy150,07811.06Brigitte Neveux National Front114,9268.47Françoise Dubu Revolutionary Communist League (LO)64,8684.78Lionel David National Republican Movement26,0741.92Registered voters2,207,0641002,206,047100Abstentions785,75835.60708,83032.13Voters1 421 30664.401,497,21767.87White and rejected ballots64.8534.5666.5914.45Valid votes1.356,45395.441,430,62695.55
Regional Council
Party seats change +/-•Socialist Party 36 +11Union for a Popular Movement 14 -3Union for French Democracy 9 -8•French Communist Party 7 +1•The Greens 7 +4•Breton Democratic Union 4 +4•Left Radical Party 2 +2Miscellaneous Left 2 -1•Miscellaneous Left 1 +1National Front 0 -7Hunting, Fishing, Nature, Traditions 0 -1Ecology Generation 0 -1Workers' Struggle 0 -1Revolutionary Communist League (France) 0 -1MRV-CAP 0 -1
Normally conservative Brittany is captured by the left.
Burgundy
CandidatePartyVotes (Round One)% (Round One)Votes (Round Two)% (Round Two) François Patriat PS-PCF-PRG-Verts240,44536.01%369,28852.49% Jean-Pierre Soisson (incumbent)UMP-MDR145,42821.78%226,14832.14% Pierre Jaboulet-VercherreFN105,27015.77%108,13315.37% François SauvadetUDF88,67412.98% – – Julien GonzalezMEI34,8105.21% – – Jacqueline LambertLCR/LO26,1913.92% – – Joël MekhantarMRC17,2132.58% – – Claude MoreauMNR11,7011.75% – –Total669,732100.00%703,569100.00%
Regional Council
Party seats change +/-•Socialist Party 23 +8Union for a Popular Movement 14 +1National Front 6 -3•French Communist Party 6 +2•The Greens 6 +4•Left Radical Party 2 +1Union for French Democracy 0 -8Hunting, Fishing, Nature, Traditions 0 -2Movement for France 0 -1Citizen and Republican Movement 0 -1Miscellaneous Left 0 -1
Burgundy returned to its usual left-wing loyalty. It is suspected that the incumbent Jean-Pierre Soisson was punished for his coalition with the National Front.
Centre
CandidatePartyVotes (Round One)% (Round One)Votes (Round Two)% (Round Two) Michel Sapin (incumbent)PS-PCF-PRG-Verts-MRC378,23538.15%517,99049.15% Serge VinçonUMP-MPF205,26220.71%362,37334.39% Jean VerdonFN173,65117.52%173,46316.46% Jacqueline GouraultUDF-CAP21135,77913.70% – – Jean-Jacques ProdhommeLCR/LO55,6405.61% – – François Caré CPNT42,7934.32% – –Total991,360100.00%1,053,826100.00%
Regional Council
Party seats change +/-•Socialist Party 25 +5Union for a Popular Movement 13 -2•French Communist Party 13 +4National Front 9 -4•The Greens 8 +5Union for French Democracy 7 -7•Left Radical Party 2 +1Hunting, Fishing, Nature, Traditions 0 -1Workers' Struggle 0 -1
The left retains control of this region. Sapin replaces the retiring incumbent Alain Rafesthain.
Champagne-Ardenne
CandidatePartyVotes (Round One)% (Round One)Votes (Round Two)% (Round Two) Jean-Paul BachyPS-PCF-PRG-Verts-MRC141,09927.94%228,56941.88% Jean-Claude Etienne (incumbent)UMP-MPF134,64026.66%217,42439.84% Bruno SubtilFN99,59219.72%99,72818.27% Charles de Courson UDF56,11011.11% – – Marie-Angèle KlaineVerts37,9377.51% – – Thomas RoseLCR/LO25,2475.00% – – Jacques GaillardMNR10,3602.05% – –Total504,985100.00%545,721100.00%
Regional Council
Party seats change +/-•Socialist Party 21 +8Union for a Popular Movement 9 -1•French Communist Party 6 +3National Front 6 -3Union for French Democracy 6 -4•Left Radical Party 1 +1Hunting, Fishing, Nature, Traditions 0 -1Workers' Struggle 0 -1The Greens 0 -1Ecologist 0 -1
The left captures usually conservative Champagne-Ardenne.
Corsica
CandidatePartyVotes (Round One)% (Round One)Votes (Round Two)% (Round Two) Camille de Rocca SerraUMP20,15514.59%35,62825.05% Émile ZuccarelliPRG17,90612.96%26,43418.59% Edmond SimeoniChjama Naziunale-PNC-ANC16,77212.14%24,65217.34% Paul GiacobbiPRG dissidents14,47710.48%21,56215.16% Dominique BucchiniPCF9,1476.62%11,8118.31% José Rossi (incumbent)UMP dissidents8,8046.37%11,0947.8% Simon RenucciCorse Social-Démocrate8,0185.8%11,0257.75% Olivier MartinelliFN6,1814.47% – – Toussaint Luciani Left-wing regionalists6,0554.38% – – Pierre-Philippe CeccaldiRight-wing regionalists5,6374.08% – – Jérôme PolveriniUMP dissidents4,5683.31% – – Jean-Louis AlbertiniDVD4,4293.21% – – Jean-Louis LucianiDVG3,8602.79% – – Paul-Félix BenedettiRegionalists3,0212.19% – – Jean-Luc Chiappini Regionalists2,6121.89% – – J.Marc CiabriniPS2,5411.84% – – Marie-Louis OttaviUDF2,1091.53% – – Vincent CarlottiPS dissidents1,0970.79% – – Serge VandepoorteFar-Left regionalists8000.58% – –Total138,189100.00%142,206100.00%
Regional Council
Party seats change +/-Left 24 +5•Union for a Popular Movement and Right 19 -5Nationalists 8 –
Conservative Corsica is the right's only success apart from Alsace.
Franche-Comté
CandidatePartyVotes (Round One)% (Round One)Votes (Round Two)% (Round Two) Raymond ForniPS-Verts146,55331.28%240,55146.79% Jean-François Humbert (incumbent)UMP116,35424.84%185,76136.13% Sophie MontelFN87,49818.68%87,76617.07% Gérard FaivreUDF36,0297.69% – – Jacques LanconMEI26,4475.65% – – Christian DrianoLCR/LO22,0594.71% – – Evelyne TernantPCF-PRG-MRC19,5774.18% – – Marie-France LigneyMNR6,9141.48% – – Hervée de LafondMiscellaneous5,8841.25% – – Jean-Philippe AllenbachPF1,1540.25% – –Total468,469100.00%514,078100.00%
Regional Council
Party seats change +/-•Socialist Party 16 +8Union for a Popular Movement 12 +4•The Greens 6 +3National Front 5 -4•Miscellaneous Left 3 +2•Association for a Republican Left 1 +1Union for French Democracy 0 -8Citizen and Republican Movement 0 -3Hunting, Fishing, Nature, Traditions 0 -1French Communist Party 0 -1Coalition for a Progressive Alternative 0 -1
The left retakes Franche-Comté.
Île-de-France
CandidatePartyVotes (Round One)% (Round One)Votes (Round Two)% (Round Two) Jean-Paul Huchon (incumbent)PS-MRC-PRG-Verts1,170,45331.95%1,923,13949.16% Jean-François CopéUMP-MPF-CNIP-FRS908,26524.79%1,592,98840.72% Marine Le PenFN448,98312.26%395,51610.11% André SantiniUDF-CAP21590,54216.12% – – Marie-George BuffetPCF-Association for a Republican Left263,9157.20% – – Arlette LaguillerLO/LCR146,1533.99% – – Carine PelegrinGE-PF-Others91,8752.51% – – Nicolas BayMNR43,1711.18% – –Total3,663,357100.00%3,911,643100.00%
Regional Council
Party seats change +/-•Socialist Party 65 +22Union for a Popular Movement 40 -2•The Greens 28 +14Union for French Democracy 22 -8•French Communist Party 19 -4National Front 15 -21•Citizen and Republican Movement 7 +3•Miscellaneous Left 6 +6•Left Radical Party 5 +3Miscellaneous Right 1 -7Citizenship, Action, Participation for the 21st Century 1 +1Other Ecologist 1 +1Workers' Struggle 0 -3Movement for France 0 -3Ecology Generation 0 -1
The left retains control of Île-de-France, the region surrounding Paris and gets a comfortable majority. Huchon previously could not rely on a majority.
Languedoc-Roussillon