PARIS — French voters are returning to the polls Sunday for the second and final round of municipal elections in over 1,500 communes. The runoffs will determine mayors and municipal councils in races where no candidate secured an outright majority in the first round.

The runoff municipal elections serve as a test of the balance of power on France's local political map before the 2027 presidential race begins to take shape.

In Paris, Emmanuel Grégoire finished first in the initial round with 37.98% of the vote, followed by Rachida Dati with 25.46%. La France Insoumise candidate Sophia Chikirou also advanced to the runoff.

The Marseille mayoral race produced one of the tightest margins after the first round. Incumbent left-wing Mayor Benoît Payan led with 36.70% of the vote, while far-right candidate Franck Allisio received 35.02%. Right-wing candidate Martine Vassal also remained in contention.

In Lyon, ecologist incumbent Grégory Doucet received 37.36% of the vote in the first round, narrowly ahead of centrist challenger Jean-Michel Aulas who garnered 36.78%.

Conservative Mayor Jean-Luc Moudenc led the first round of the Toulouse mayoral election with 37.23% of the vote. François Piquemal joined forces with the broader left to try to unseat Moudenc in the runoff.

Eric Ciotti led the first round of the Nice mayoral election with 43.43% of the vote, while Christian Estrosi received 30.92%. In Nantes, Socialist Mayor Johanna Rolland finished first in the initial round and advanced to the runoff ahead of her right-wing challenger. Incumbent Pierre Hurmic led the first round of the Bordeaux mayoral election.

After the first round, several electoral lists merged, withdrew, or made tactical alliances, resulting in multiple three-way contests in the municipal runoffs. France's traditional left and right parties remained competitive in major municipal contests, while far-right parties were strongly placed in several urban races. President Emmanuel Macron's Renaissance movement did not prominently field candidates in many high-profile municipal races after the first round.