Le Pen’s far right eyes local elections as launchpad for French presidential bid – POLITICO

PARIS — It’s time for Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella to prove they can win big.

The far-right National Rally is under pressure to score a decisive victory in municipal elections across France that begin on Sunday, as the contest is widely seen as test of the anti-immigration party’s electability ahead of the high-stakes presidential race next year. 
 
“The political shift begins in town halls,” Bardella said on the campaign trail last month in the small southern town of Carcassonne, famed for its medieval citadel. “The National Rally can win a number of municipalities, and this is obviously another step toward coming to power.” 
 
But the far-right party’s strong polling numbers don’t guarantee victory.  

Municipal contests are usually driven by hyper-local personalities and issues. That means the national and Europe-wide political trends that fueled the rise of the right won’t necessarily translate at the ballot box.