France holds senatorial elections to renew 178 Senate seats

France will hold senatorial elections on Sunday, September 27, 2026, to renew 178 of the 348 seats in the Senate. The election is conducted via indirect universal suffrage, where a college of ‘grand electors’—primarily mayors, local councilors, and parliamentarians—casts the votes.

A major political objective for the Rassemblement National (RN) is to reach the ten-member threshold required to form a formal parliamentary group, which would increase their influence over legislative agendas and commissions. Meanwhile, traditional right-wing groups like Les Républicains remain the leading force in the chamber.

Local contests show varying levels of fragmentation. In the Bouches-du-Rhône, an unprecedented nine lists are competing, while the Gers features thirteen candidates for two seats. In the Ain department, seven lists are vying for three seats. The results are expected to reflect local political shifts and will impact the legislative maneuvering available to future national leadership.