French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte cast their votes in Le Touquet (Pas-de-Calais department, northern France) in the first round of the 2026 municipal elections, widely seen as a barometer of France’s political mood ahead of the high-stakes 2027 presidential race. The elections in around 35,000 villages, towns and cities will take place over two rounds held on consecutive Sundays. IMAGES