Carcassonne (France) (AFP) – Jordan Bardella in the heart of the medieval city of Carcassonne: this is the image of the first trip of the boss of the RN dedicated to municipal elections but also the symbol of the ambition of the party for whom this international tourist showcase would constitute a choice decision.

Published on: 02/15/2026 - 10:11

“Here, we are typically in a city that the National Rally can win,” proclaimed the young president of the far-right party in this prestigious setting, the incarnation of the thousand-year-old history of France, listed as a UNESCO world heritage site.

In the alleys of the citadel, Christophe Barthès, the RN candidate for mayor, is little distinguishable from Mr. Bardella's bodyguards: same massive silhouette and same proximity to the leader.

“The city is viable, and above all we are supported, people simply want change,” Mr. Barthès wants to believe. He became an RN deputy for the first constituency of Aude in 2022, re-elected in 2024 with 61.4% of the votes, a score which, according to him, means that "somewhere, I must raise a hope or an expectation for people".

“Security, tranquility and cleanliness” are the stated priorities of his program which wants to make Carcassonne a “city where we celebrate what makes our identity”, proclaims one of the campaign leaflets: “Occitan roots”, “popular festivals”, gastronomy and know-how.

Radiation

“People don't ask us for extraordinary things, it's just everyday life, their front door, their street, their neighborhoods,” this professional farmer told AFP, in his gravelly voice.

At 59, Mr. Barthès, who began his political career within the former RPR, is in his third municipal campaign but the first two were in Trèbes, a rural town where he still lives.

The RN's appetite for Carcassonne, whose national and international influence is driven by tourist attendance at the citadel, the sixth most visited monument in France, worries other political actors in the city.

And this is even one of the reasons given by Gérard Larrat, 84 years old, outgoing mayor (DVD) elected since 2014, to explain his choice to return to the campaign even though he had said in 2020 that he was starting his last mandate.

“I don’t want certain trends to take hold in the city,” he said a few days ago on the sidelines of a press briefing. And to respond, when asked if he saw himself as a bulwark against the far right: “that’s what was said to motivate me”.

“Sleeping Beauty”

In a national context where he claims to fear "a wave" RN "which will overwhelm everything", the councilor highlights his local results. “What I am most proud of is having beautified the city, bringing life, color, relaxation, and essential infrastructure in the cultural and sporting fields,” he says.

But his choice to return to the campaign divided his camp.

Engaged in the race for a while, his former first deputy, Isabelle Chésa, daughter of an emblematic mayor of the city (Raymond Chésa (RPR), elected from 1983 to 2005), withdrew when Mr. Larrat started. Another list labeled Horizons was put together around François Mourad, former advisor to the mayor, and Magali Bardou, former tourism assistant, who want to "wake up the sleeping beauty" that, according to them, Carcassonne has become.

Other members of the outgoing municipality have even joined the list led by Mr. Barthès who sees in these rallies an attachment to his “great desire to change things”.

This “very strong division” is the sign of a majority “out of breath”, according to Alix Soler-Alcaraz, 34, first federal secretary of the PS in Aude, who built a left-wing union associating Ecologists, PCF and Place publique, while LFI and NPA should also present a list.

Posing as a bulwark against the RN was "the only solution for Mr. Larrat", believes the left-wing candidate, because "the Carcassonnais do not want continuity with a worn out outgoing majority".

In a “very fractured city” and faced with the “narrow vision of a society that divides and excludes” carried by the RN, he believes that his list, focused on “building together”, represents the only alternative.

© 2026 AFP

The content you are trying to access does not exist or is no longer available.