Marine Le Pen's victory in France's regional elections ‘a vote against elite’

French far-right leader Marine Le Pen is attributing her party’s historic gains in first-round regional elections to a people’s revolt against the political elite, as France’s mainstream parties seek to undo the National Front victories in six of the nation’s 13 regions before the final round.

Sunday’s voting for leadership councils in the regions was widely seen as a national sounding following the November 13 Paris attacks that left 130 dead and the influx of migrants to Europe.

Le Pen’s anti-immigration National Front chalked up scores that reached 40% of the vote in several regions, including in the north-east where Le Pen is running, and in the south-east where her niece Marion Marechal-Le Pen leads the list of candidates.