The municipal elections of 2026 commenced with the first round of voting recently concluded in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence and Hautes-Alpes. Voting ended at 6 PM, with results expected to be released by 8 PM, coinciding with the closure of all polling stations. Preliminary results from both regions have already started to emerge.
Key Results from the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence
- Manosque: Mayor Camille Galtier (DVD) won re-election with 58% against various opponents.
- Forcalquier: David Gehant (DVD) defeated Jean-Michel Grès (DVG) to secure his position.
- Sisteron: Jean-Pierre Templier (DVD) led with 41.98%, closely followed by Bernard Codoul (DVD) at 40.32%. Zoe Lerouge (DVG) was third with 17.70%.
- Castellane: Bernard Liperini (DVD) was elected unopposed.
Results in the Hautes-Alpes
- Briançon: Incumbent Mayor Arnaud Murgia (DVD) is currently leading, followed by Luc Marchello (UG) and Richard Nussbaum.
Voter Participation Rates
The election saw significant voter engagement compared to the previous municipal elections in 2020. At 5 PM, the participation rate reached:
- Hautes-Alpes: 62.28% (up from 35.91% in 2020)
- Alpes-de-Haute-Provence: 60.57% (up from 47.07% in 2020)
Nationally, the voter turnout was 48.90%, reflecting an increase from 38.77% in the last elections.
Candidate Overview in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence
In key municipalities, candidates included:
- Digne-les-Bains:
- Jean-Luc Brochier (DVD)
- Benoit de Souza (DVD)
- Françis Kuhn (Divers Centre)
- Julien Di Benedetto (DVG)
- Manosque:
- Sébastien Aubert (DVG)
- Camille Galtier (DVD)
- Patrick Rousset (Union de la Gauche)
- Fabrice Durneri (extreme right)
Candidate Overview in the Hautes-Alpes
In Gap, the mayoral candidates include:
- Roger Didier (DVD), the incumbent
- Charlotte Kuentz (DVG)
- Elie Cordier (Union de la gauche)
- Raphaël Leroux (Rassemblement National)
- Jacques Patron (LFI)
Challenges and Unique Cases
Many municipalities displayed only one candidate. In total, 98 municipalities in Hautes-Alpes and 120 in Alpes-de-Haute-Provence faced similar situations. Notably, the village of Bayons, with a population of 199, presented no candidates, requiring temporary administrative support from the prefecture.
This election cycle marked a pivotal moment in local governance, with major implications for the political landscape of both regions.
