France municipal elections scheduled for March 2026

The 2026 French municipal elections are scheduled to take place on Sunday, March 15 and March 22. A decree published on August 27, 2025, established these dates, providing municipalities and candidates significant time to organize operations and form lists.

To participate, voters must be registered on their local electoral lists. The deadline for online registration is February 4, 2026, while in-person or mail-in registrations must be completed by February 6, 2026. Exceptions exist for specific circumstances, such as professional relocations, reaching the age of 18, or acquiring French nationality, allowing registration until March 5, 2026.

Recent local voting trends indicate that while many incumbents in smaller communes have secured reelection, the political landscape is shifting. Traditional parties like the Socialist Party and Les Républicains maintain significant presence in medium-sized cities, while La France Insoumise and the Rassemblement National are establishing themselves as influential actors in various territories.