The upcoming municipal elections in Marseille are generating significant anticipation as the incumbent mayor, Benoît Payan, a former Socialist, leads a leftist coalition excluding La France Insoumise (LFI). The question remains whether he can retain his position, especially in light of the National Rally (RN) garnering 30% of the votes in the 2024 European elections, a notable increase from their previous 19.45% in the last municipal elections.
Moreover, the LFI, which has shown considerable progress since 2020 in the city, threatens to field its own candidate in the second round. This candidate is likely to be Sébastien Delogu, whose role could be pivotal in the election outcome. The recent change in voting procedures for Marseille, Paris, and Lyon adds another layer of complexity, making alliances more crucial than ever, as highlighted by Jean-Yves Dormagen, president of the Cluster17 institute, which conducted the poll.
Payan and Allisio neck and neck
According to an exclusive survey conducted between November 4 and 7, 2025, for POLITICO, the incumbent mayor finds himself in a precarious position. The poll indicates that 29% of Marseillais intend to vote for Payan’s list in the first round. His coalition has gained support from the Ecologists as well as the French Communist Party (PCF), yet an equal percentage of respondents are inclined to back RN’s candidate, Franck Allisio.
Martine Vassal, the official candidate from The Republicans and Horizons, who currently presides over the metropolitan area, leads a