PARIS, March 17 (Reuters) - The hard-left candidate in Marseille's mayoral race, Sebastien Delogu, has withdrawn from the second round of voting in a bid to block the far-right National Rally (RN)
Mayoral races heat up in Paris, Marseille, ahead of run-offs
Key Developments in France's Mayoral Elections
By Ingrid Melander and Gianluca Lo Nostro
PARIS, March 17 (Reuters) - Crucial races to win control of France's two biggest cities heated up on Tuesday with some candidates pulling out as parties deal with a shifting, fragmented political landscape ahead of next year's presidential election.
Candidate Withdrawals and Political Maneuvering
The hard-left candidate in Marseille's mayoral race, Sebastien Delogu of France Unbowed (LFI), withdrew from Sunday's second round out of concern that splitting the left's vote could help the far-right National Rally take control of France's second-largest city.
Meanwhile in Paris, Sarah Knafo, candidate for a smaller far-right party, decided not to stand in the run-off there in order to help conservative Rachida Dati snatch the French capital away from the left.
Candidates qualified for Sunday's run-off have until 6 p.m. (1700 GMT) on Tuesday to say if they will stand, strike alliances or pull out, and the withdrawals were the most striking moves of hectic days in the run-up to the vote.
Divisions Among Political Parties
DIVISIONS
The municipal elections, whose first round was held across France last Sunday, help gauge the strength of parties one year ahead of the presidential election, and indicate what alliances could emerge.
The RN notched eye-catching wins in its southern and northern bastions, reclaiming Perpignan outright in the first round. However, its first-round results underscored the limits of its appeal beyond its strongholds, and conservative parties have snubbed its proposals to unite against the left between the two rounds.
Local party negotiations since Sunday's first round have also highlighted divisions on the left, with the Socialists, Greens and LFI reaching agreements in some cities, such as Lyon and Toulouse, but not in others like Marseille and Lille.
Fighting for Marseille
Delogu's Withdrawal and Its Impact
FIGHTING FOR MARSEILLE
In Marseille, Delogu garnered nearly 12% of the vote in the first round for LFI, trailing Socialist incumbent Benoit Payan and RN's Franck Allisio, who received 36% and 35% respectively.
Delogu condemned Payan's refusal to merge their candidacies, but ultimately decided to pull out altogether, to act as a "shield" against the RN. His withdrawal does increase the Socialists' chances of beating the RN, as numbers of his voters are expected to switch to Payan.
The Rise of the National Rally
The RN, a party known for its anti-immigration and eurosceptic stance, is France's largest parliamentary bloc and could potentially secure the presidency in next year's election, according to recent polls.
Winning Over Paris?
Key Players and Election Dynamics
WINNING OVER PARIS?
Paris is another key battleground.
Once dominated by conservatives, it has had a Socialist mayor since 2001.
"I am withdrawing to give us every chance of defeating the left," Sarah Knafo, of the far-right party Reconquest, told Le Parisien newspaper, adding that she made the decision after former interior minister Dati, a conservative, refused to present a joint candidacy. Knafo, who has cultivated international visibility and attended U.S. President Donald Trump's inauguration, had captured 10% of the vote.
Potential Shifts in Voter Support
Quite a few of her voters are expected to switch to Dati, boosting her chances to beat Socialist Emmanuel Gregoire, who topped the first round but has so far refused to strike a deal with LFI candidate Sophia Chikirou.
(Reporting by Gianluca Lo Nostro, Elizabeth Pineau, Zhifan Liu; Writing by Ingrid Melander; Editing by Hugh Lawson and Tomasz Janowski)
