Regional elections were held in France on 20 June and 27 June 2021. At stake were the regional councils in metropolitan and overseas France including the Corsican Assembly, Assembly of French Guiana and Assembly of Martinique, all for a six-year term. The Departmental Council of Mayotte, which also exercises the powers of a region, also participated in this election, because the departmental elections were held at the same time. Eighteen regional presidencies were at stake, with thirteen in mainland France and Corsica, as well as five overseas. Though they do not have legislative autonomy, these territorial collectivities manage sizable budgets. Moreover, regional elections are often perceived as a mid-term opinion poll. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the regional and departmental elections were postponed, first to 13 and 20 June 2021 and then to 20 and 27 June 2021."Elections régionales et recomposition nationale", Le Monde, 17 April 2021.
Voting system The regional elections are held in direct universal suffrage using proportional representation lists. The election is held over two rounds, with majority bonus. The lists must be gender balanced by alternatively have a male candidate and a female candidate from the top to the bottom of the list. Only lists with as many candidates as available seatsAlso compulsory in French municipal elections. in every department of the region may compete. Before 2004, lists could be presented only at the departement level, allowing smaller parties (notably Hunting, Fishing, Nature, Tradition, Alsace d'abord, Lutte Ouvrière, Revolutionary Communist League) to be represented as such in the regional councils and thus forcing major parties to enter into negotiations to rule some regions.
Following the 1999 and 2003 electoral reforms, with a first implementation in 2004, a two-round runoff voting system is used to elect the regional presidents. If no party gets at least 50% of the vote in the first round, a second round is held, which any party who got at least 10% in the first round may enter. Lists that obtain at least 5% of the vote in the first round may merge in the second round with a 'qualified list', which includes candidates from each merged list.
At the decisive round (first round if a list won 50%, the second round if not), the leading list receives a premium of 25% of the seats while the remaining seats are distributed among all lists who received at least 5% of votes. Thus, the majority bonus allows a leading list to have an absolute majority of seats in the Regional Council from one-third of votes in the second round. The seats are distributed among the lists at the regional level but within each list, seats are allocated by departement branch in proportion to the number of votes in each department.
Background When National Rally MEP Jordan Bardella tweeted criticism of Muslim LREM candidate Sara Zemmahi for wearing a hijab in a campaign poster, Executive Officer of La République En Marche! Stanislas Guerini responded in agreement and Zammahi was barred from running as a LREM candidate. Guerini claimed that "wearing ostentatious religious symbols on a campaign document is not compatible with the values of LREM". This was condemned by fellow LREM deputies Coralie Dubost and Caroline Janvier. Opinion polls
National results First round
Second round
By region
Region President Before Party President After Party Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Laurent Wauquiez LR Laurent Wauquiez LR Bourgogne-Franche-Comté Marie-Guite Dufay PS Marie-Guite Dufay PS Brittany Loïg Chesnais-Girard PS Loïg Chesnais-Girard PS Centre-Val de Loire François Bonneau PS François Bonneau PS Corsica Assembly Jean-Guy Talamoni CL Marie-Antoinette Maupertuis FC Executive Council Gilles Simeoni FC Gilles Simeoni FC Grand Est Jean Rottner LR Jean Rottner LR Guadeloupe Ary Chalus GUSR Ary Chalus GUSR French Guiana Assembly Rodolphe Alexandre GR Gabriel Serville Péyi-G Hauts-de-France Xavier Bertrand DVD Xavier Bertrand DVD Île-de-France Valérie Pécresse SL Valérie Pécresse SL Réunion Didier Robert DVD Huguette Bello PCR Martinique Assembly Claude Lise RDM DVG Executive Council Alfred Marie-Jeanne MIM Serge Letchimy PPM Normandy Hervé Morin LC Hervé Morin LC Nouvelle-Aquitaine Alain Rousset PS Alain Rousset PS Occitanie Carole Delga PS Carole Delga PS Pays de la Loire Christelle Morançais LR Christelle Morançais LR Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Renaud Muselier LR Renaud Muselier LR
Results by region Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Outgoing president : Laurent Wauquiez (LR) +2021 Regional elections in Auvergne-Rhône-AlpesCandidateListFirst roundSecond roundSeats+/-Votes%Votes%Laurent Wauquiez *LR-UDI-LMR-VIA43.8555.20136 +23Fabienne GrébertEÉLV-G·s-GÉ14.4733.6151 -6Najat Vallaud-BelkacemPS-PRG-GRS-CÉ11.42Cécile CukiermanPCF-LFI5.57Andréa KotaracRN-LDP12.3211.1917 -17Bruno BonnellMR-LREM-MoDem-Agir9.82Chantal GomezLO1.56Shella GillDIV0.65Farid OmeirUDMF0.33Valid votes97.3096.57Blank ballots1.752.30Null Ballots0.951.14Turnout32.5933.35204Abstentions67.4166.65Registered voters100100
Bourgogne-Franche-Comté Outgoing president : Marie-Guite Dufay (PS) +2021 Regional elections in Bourgogne-Franche-ComtéCandidateListFirst roundSecond roundSeats+/-Votes%Votes%Marie-Guite Dufay *PS-PRG-PCF26.5242.2057 +6Stéphanie ModdeEÉLV-CÉ-GÉ10.34Gilles PlatretLR-UDI-LMR-DLF-MEI21.0424.2318 -7Julien OdoulRN-LDP23.1923.7818 -6Denis ThuriotLREM-MoDem-Agir11.699.797 +7Bastien FaudotGRS-LFI-G.s4.50Claire RocherLO2.73Valid votes95.3395.58Blank ballots3.102.80Null Ballots1.571.63Turnout34.8836.54100Abstentions65.1263.46Registered voters100100
Brittany Outgoing president : Loïg Chesnais-Girard (PS) +2021 Regional elections in BrittanyCandidateListFirst roundSecond roundSeats+/-Votes%Votes%Loïg Chesnais-Girard *PS-PRG-PCF20.9529.8440 -13BMV6.52Isabelle Le CallennecLR-LMR-LC16.2821.9814 -4Claire Desmares-PoirrierEÉLV-UDB-G·s-CÉ-GÉ14.8420.2212 +12Thierry BurlotLREM-MoDem-UDI-Agir-Volt-TdP15.5314.759 +9Gilles PennelleRN-LDP14.2713.228 -4Pierre-Yves CadalenLFI5.57Valérie HamonLO2.26Joannic MartinPB1.55David CabasDLF1.40Christophe DavietDIV0.49Yves ChauvelEXD0.22Kamel ElahiarUDMF0.12Valid votes95.3995.67Blank ballots2.712.27Null Ballots1.902.06Turnout35.7936.6283Abstentions64.2163.38Registered voters100100
Centre-Val de Loire Outgoing president : François Bonneau (PS) +2021 Regional elections in Centre-Val de LoireCandidateListFirst roundSecond roundSeats+/-Votes%Votes%François Bonneau *PS-MR-PRG-PCF-CÉ24.8139.1542 +2Charles FournierEÉLV-LFI-G.s-GÉ-LRDG-AE-ANLD10.85Nicolas ForissierLR-UDI-LMR-LC18.8222.6113 -7Aleksandar NikolicRN-LDP-PL-LAF22.2422.2413 -4Marc FesneauMoDem-LREM-Agir-LC-TdP-UDI diss.16.6516.009 +9Jérémy ClémentECO4.07Farida MegdoudLO2.56Valid votes95.6395.76Blank ballots2.752.86Null Ballots1.631.37Turnout32.7433.1377Abstentions67.2666.87Registered voters100100
Corsica
Outgoing president of the Executive council : Gilles Simeoni (FC)Outgoing president of the Assembly : Jean-Guy Talamoni (CL) +2021 Territorial elections in CorsicaCandidateListFirst roundSecond roundSeats+/-Votes%Votes%Gilles Simeoni *FC29.1940.6432 +14Laurent MarcangeliA!-LR-CCB24.8632.0217 +1PNC13.2215.078 -15Jean-Guy Talamoni *CL6.90Paul-Félix BenedettiRinnovu8.3912.266 +6Jean-Charles OrsucciTdP-LREM5.920 -6François FiloniRN4.00Agnès SimonpietriEÉLV-G.s-GÉ3.75Michel StefaniPCF3.18Jean-Antoine GiacomiEXD0.59Valid votes98.2296.79Blank ballots0.841.65Null Ballots0.941.56Turnout57.0858.9163Abstentions42.9241.09Registered voters100100
Grand Est Outgoing president : Jean Rottner (LR) +2021 Regional elections in the Grand EstCandidateListFirst roundSecond roundSeats+/-Votes%Votes%Jean Rottner *LR-UDI-LMR31.1540.3094 -10Laurent JacobelliRN-LDP-CNIP-DR21.1226.3033 -13Éliane RomaniEÉLV-PS-PCF-CÉ-GÉ14.6021.2227 +8Brigitte KlinkertLREM-MoDem-Agir10.7712.1715 +15Aurélie FilippettiG·s-LFI-GRS8.64Florian PhilippotLP-VIA6.95Martin MeyerUL3.67Louise FèveLO2.60Adil TyaneUDMF0.49Valid votes95.0895.35Blank ballots3.032.84Null Ballots1.891.80Turnout29.6130.24169Abstentions70.3969.76Registered voters100100
Guadeloupe
Outgoing president : Ary Chalus (GUSR) +2021 Regional elections in GuadeloupeCandidateListFirst roundSecond roundSeats+/-Votes%Votes%Ary Chalus *GUSR-LREM49.3172.4333+5Josette Borel-LincertinFGPS-CELV17.3827.578-5Ronald SelbonneANG-UPLG9.39Max MathiasinPPDG-PSG5.56Sonia PetroLR-UDI3.68Maxette Pirbakas-GrisoniRN3.42Éric CoriolanDIV2.88Jean-Marie NomertinLO2.67Alain PlaisirCIPPA2.54Christelle NanorLGCA1.41Willy WilliamDIV1.17Tony DelannayDLF0.58Valid votes93.9591.65Blank ballots2.473.46Null Ballots3.584.89Turnout30.7736.8841Abstentions69.2363.12Registered voters100100
French Guiana Outgoing president of the Assembly : Rodolphe Alexandre (GR) +2021 Territorial elections in French GuianaCandidateListFirst roundSecond roundSeats+/-Votes%Votes%Gabriel ServillePéyi G-G.s-LFI27.6854.8335 +19Jean-Paul FereiraAGEG-PSG-Walwari-MDES23.34Jessi AmericainDVG5.27Rodolphe Alexandre *GR43.7145.1720 -15Valid votes96.9997.21Blank ballots1.501.50Null Ballots1.501.29Turnout34.7946.7855 4Abstentions65.2153.22Registered voters100100
Hauts-de-France Outgoing president : Xavier Bertrand (DVD) +2021 Regional elections in the Hauts-de-FranceCandidateListFirst roundSecond roundSeats+/-Votes%Votes%Xavier Bertrand *LR-UDI-SL-LMR-RAD41.4252.37110 -6Sébastien ChenuRN-LDP-CNIP24.3725.6432 -22Karima DelliEÉLV-PS-PRG-PCF-G·s-LFI-GÉ18.9721.9828 +28Laurent PietraszewskiLREM-MoDem-Agir9.13Éric PecqueurLO3.56José ÉvrardDLF2.04Audric AlexandrePACE-Volt-NC0.50Valid votes95.8596.45Blank ballots2.511.99Null Ballots1.641.56Turnout32.8433.18170Abstentions67.1666.82Registered voters100100
Île-de-France Outgoing president : Valérie Pécresse (SL) +2021 Regional elections in Île-de-FranceCandidateListFirst roundSecond roundSeats+/-Votes%Votes%Valérie Pécresse *SL-LR-UDI-MEI36.1945.92125 +4Julien BayouEÉLV-G·s-CÉ-GÉ13.0133.6753 -13Audrey PulvarPS-PRG-GRS11.10Clémentine AutainLFI-PCF10.25Jordan BardellaRN-LDP13.1410.7916 -6Laurent Saint-MartinLREM-MoDem-Agir11.819.6215 +15Victor PailhacREV1.79Nathalie ArthaudLO1.47Éric BerlingenUDMF0.59Lionel BrotDIV0.49Fabiola ContiVolt-PACE-NC-ANLD0.17Valid votes97.4797.37Blank ballots1.651.75Null Ballots0.880.88Turnout30.8333.26209Abstentions69.1766.74Registered voters100100
Martinique Outgoing president of the Executive council : Alfred Marie-Jeanne (MIM)Outgoing president of the Assembly : Claude Lise (RDM) +2021 Territorial elections in MartiniqueCandidateListFirst roundSecond roundSeats+/-Votes%Votes%Serge LetchimyPPM31.6637.7226 +8Alfred Marie-Jeanne *MIM-Palima-ME25.8035.2714 -8Catherine ConconneDVG10.6314.476+6Jean-Philippe NilorPéyi A-RDM12.0112.545 -3Yan MonplaisirLR4.680 -3Philippe JockDVD3.92Béatrice BellayFSM3.56Olivier BérissonMUN2.23Max OrvilleMoDem1.44Ralph MonplaisirLREM1.09Guy FerdinandDVD0.16Marcel SellayeGRS0.69Philippe PetitUDI0.64Gabriel Jean-MarieCO0.59Valid votes96.1296.67Blank ballots1.911.69Null Ballots1.971.63Turnout32.4544.8351Abstentions67.5555.17Registered voters100100
Normandy Outgoing president : Hervé Morin (LC) +2021 Regional elections in NormandyCandidateListFirst roundSecond roundSeats+/-Votes%Votes%Hervé Morin *LC-LR-LMR36.8644.2660 +6Mélanie BoulangerPS-PRG-EÉLV-G·s-CÉ-GÉ18.3726.1820 -2Nicolas BayRN-LDP19.8619.5215 -6Laurent BonnaterreTdP-LREM-MoDem-Agir11.0710.047 +7Sébastien JumelPCF-LFI9.640 -5Pascal Le ManachLO3.14Stéphanie KerbarhMR1.06Valid votes95.9595.80Blank ballots2.702.90Null Ballots1.351.30Turnout32.9932.91102Abstentions67.0167.09Registered voters100100
Nouvelle-Aquitaine Outgoing president : Alain Rousset (PS)