In the recent **partial legislative elections** in Saône-et-Loire, the outgoing **RN deputy**, Arnaud Sanvert, emerged victorious from the first round on May 18. However, he is closely followed by a former **LR candidate**, while the left-wing parties struggled, resulting in their elimination from the race.
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Partial legislative elections in Saône-et-Loire: an **illegible** and **high-risk** election for **RN**
Arnaud Sanvert, whose **comfortable election** in July 2024 was annulled due to counting irregularities, garnered **31.9%** of the votes—slightly lower than the **35%** he received in the first round of the July 2024 election. He highlighted the alarming lack of voter turnout, recorded at **32.7%**, urging constituents to engage in the electoral process. In his remarks to the **France-Presse agency (AFP)**, Sanvert emphasized the need for “Mobilization” in the second round, facing off against Emmanuel Macron’s candidate, **Sébastien Martin**.
Sébastien Martin, the former LR president of Grand Chalon and currently the **Vice-President** of the Department, secured **25.6%** of the votes—substantially more than the **19%** gained by the mayor of Chalon-sur-Saône, **Gilles Platret**, in the first round of 2024. Martin’s more moderate profile makes him appealing compared to the far-right Gilles Platret. He responded to the election results by calling for a coalition of local forces to ensure the region has a competent representative in the National Assembly.
Facing the RN
At **47 years old**, Martin overshadowed another former LR candidate, the mayor of Montceau-les-Mines, **Marie-Claude Jarrot**, who managed only **12.5%** of the votes. Jarrot stated she would personally support “the candidacy that will make the RN beat” despite her own lackluster performance.
On the left side of the political spectrum, **LFI** candidate **Fatima Kouriche** was unable to qualify for the second round, receiving a disappointing **8.2%** of the vote—a stark contrast to her previous performance in 2024 when she obtained **23%** in the first round and **31.5%** in the second round, placing second to the RN candidate.
This local figure, known for her association with the **yellow vests**, suffered from fragmentation on the left, specifically from the unexpectedly strong performance of **PS candidate Clément Mugnier**, a 26-year-old lawyer and political newcomer. Mugnier finished third with an unusual **16.98%**, insisting this result demonstrates that the left has unified around his candidacy rather than LFI’s.
Kouriche expressed her disappointment at the results, urging for a **unified front** against the RN, even if she hesitated to fully endorse Sébastien Martin’s candidacy. The sentiment echoed in her remarks suggested a growing concern about the RN’s influence, and the need for consolidated efforts to counteract their rising presence in legislative politics.