Rhone-Alpes (PS +8)

Ain: Bourg-en-Bresse loves change. In 1988, it elected a UDF mayor. In 1995, it elected a Socialist. In 2001, it elected a RPR mayor who died shortly before the 2008 election (he wasn’t running for re-election though). Naturally, the Socialists gained the city in 2008. Debat, the PS candidate won with 55.37% by the first round, the UMP far behind with 34.8%. The left also won Amberieu-en-Bugey, the winning Union of the Left list taking a bit over 42% in a 4-way runoff (2 left, 2 right). No cigar, however, for the left in Oyonnax or Bellegarde-sur-Valserine. The right succeeded a retiring rightist incumbent, with 46.06% in a 3-way runoff; and the UMP incumbent took 58.22% in Bellegarde, despite leaning left-wing in national elections. Another unexpected change happened in the cantonales, where the left won a majority of seats and picked up the department, despite the Ain being strong right-wing. Total PS +2

Ardeche: Generally left-wing, the left obtained mixed results. In Privas, the PS incumbent took over 60% in the first round (only 2 candidates there though). In Annonay, with the UMP incumbent, the left scored a huge pickup with over 68% in the first round. In a 4-way runoff in Aubenas, which opposed the united right (UMP incumbent) to three lefties- a DVG, a PS, and a Commie. The UMP won with 52%, the DVG taking 21%. In Guilherand, the UMP won 62% in the first round. The right gained Tournon-sur-Rhone from the PRG (retiring) taking 52.8% in the runoff.

Drome: In Valence, the chef-lieu of the Drome, where the UMP incumbent was retiring. Valence, a good city for the Greenies (they held the seat in the 1997-2002 legislature), the Greenies won 19.3% in the first round, providing an excellent reserve for the Socialist candidate who opposed the UMP candidate, first in the first round. Alain Maurice, PS, took 51.7% in the runoff, obviously dominating the Green vote. The right held Montelimar with 52%, and over 64% in Pierrelatte. A closer runoff for the PS in Romans, where the left won by less than 100 votes in a 4-way PS-UMP-MoDem-FN runoff. Total PS +1

Isere: Despite their hopes for a good season, the left failed to gain many of its targets. In Grenoble, Michel Destot (PS) faced an easy runoff against a young UMP candidate and a Greenie (deciding to stay in, seeing that Destot’s place wasn’t at risk). Destot won 48%, the UMP far behind with only 29.5% (Destot had rallied the MoDem, but also some Sarkozy-supporters). The Greens did exceptionally well, with 22.5%. In Voiron, the left gained the city as predicted, with over 58%. Success for the left in Bourgoin-Jallieu, holding with 56.6%. Threatened in Villefontaine, the right stood its ground by less than 20 votes, holding the city with 2,554 votes against 2,536 for the left. Very narrow in Vienne too, with the right holding its ground with 46.34% against 45.66% for the left. Total PS +1

Loire: A working-class department, the left reversed its recent loses by some big gains. Firstly, Saint-Etienne, with the defeat of the Radical-UMP mayor Michel Tholliere by the PS Maurice Vincent. Leading the first round, Tholliere (37.86%) needed to get the votes of the MoDem Gilles Artigues (20.23%) to beat Vincent (33.68%). Artigues stayed in, but many voters voted utile (useful) and went for Vincent, who won convincingly 46.11-41.63. Artigues was left with crumbs, 12.27%. The right also suffered in Roanne, suffering defeat to the left, who won with 52.08%. Disaster for the right also in Montbrison, where the left won with 51.4% by the first round, capitalizing on the right-wing division. Total PS +3

Rhone: Dominique Perben lost his gamble to win Lyon, a city which had voted for Sarkozy, but had elected a left-wing mayor, Gerard Collomb in 2001 (the right blamed a road accident, aka division, for the loss). Perben was able to rally the moderate UMP right with the local DLC/Milloniste right of Charles Millon (divided in 2001); but accusations of carpetbagging did no good. Collomb was also very popular and had rallied some centrists. The first polls in 2007 showed a 52-48 runoff in favour of Collomb, but Collomb ended up with over 50% in the first round and a truly historic first round re-election. He humiliated the right (already humiliated in 2001) and defeated Perben himself in Lyon-3 (by the first round) where the left won 52.82% to Perben’s 30.02%. Of 9 arrondissements, there were only 3 runoffs, in which the right nonetheless held its 2 incumbent sector mayors. In the suburb of Villeurbanne, the left easily won despite tough UMP opposition. The Communists held their stronghold of Venissieux. In the more right-wing north part of the Rhone, in Villefranche-sur-Saone, the UMP won despite being faced with a tough battle with a DVD candidate. In the general council, Michel Mercier (ex-MoDem) held his seat with the support from the UMP.

Savoie: Bernadette Laclais, the PS incumbent in Chambery, benefited from the general climate to hold her seat with a bit over 50% by the first round. Same scenario, but more surprising in Albertville, the host of the 1992 winter games, where the PS gained the city by a bit more than 100 votes. The UMP held Aix-les-Bains with over 62% in the first round, in addition to 9.6% going to a DVD list. In the general council, the former minister Herve Gaymard (UMP), who had resigned a few years ago because of a housing scandal, succeeded another right-wing incumbent. Total PS +1

Haute-Savoie: The UMP wanted to put its hand on Annecy, an historic centrist city, but failed horribly. Jean-Luc Rigaut, a Nouveau Centre incumbent, won re-election by the first round with 52.44%, the UMP far behind in second with 17.7%. The PS won only 15.9%. The left held Annemasse, with a bit over 52 and the UMP held Thonon-les-Bains. In Cluses, in a UMP-DVD-FN runoff, the UMP prevailed with 40.9%. The DVD took 38.7% and the FN won 20.5%.