A controversy has erupted in Marseille following the first round of the 2026 municipal elections, with candidate Sébastien Delogu of La France Insoumise (LFI) denouncing a mix-up of ballot papers. Delogu, who leads the LFI list, stated that ballots for several lists, including his own, were incorrectly interchanged at certain polling stations.
Local electoral authorities have confirmed they are investigating the incident after receiving formal complaints. The alleged mix-up involved the placement of LFI ballots in slots designated for other political lists, potentially confusing voters.
While the scale of the error appears limited to specific bureaus, Delogu has called the situation "unacceptable" and demanded full transparency. The regional prefecture has assured that all legally cast votes will be correctly attributed in the official count.
The incident has sparked debate over electoral process safeguards. The second round of voting is scheduled for March 22, 2026, with officials pledging increased vigilance to prevent a recurrence.
