The French hard right eyes its first regional presidency

ON JUNE 17TH, three days before the first round of voting in France’s regional elections, is due to drop in on the Mediterranean port of Toulon. For the leader of the hard-right National Rally (RN), the trip serves as a double symbol. Toulon was the first big town hall that the party (then called the National Front) captured, back in 1995. And it lies at the heart of Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur (PACA), the region whose presidency the RN has the best chance of winning at a second-round vote on June 27th. Victory there would not only secure the party its first regional presidency. It would also measure Ms Le Pen’s ability to take votes from the mainstream right ahead of the French presidential election in 2022.