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Gregoire replaces fellow socialist Anne Hidalgo as the French capital’s mayor. The local elections are being closely watched to gauge the political mood in the country ahead of next year’s presidential race.Socialist candidate Emmanuel Gregoire won in the Paris mayoral race Sunday, succeeding fellow party member Anne Hidalgo as the French capital's mayor. Gregoire claimed victory after estimates based on partial results placed him well ahead of conservative rival Rachida Dati, who acknowledged defeat. He said the French capital would resist the right and far right in the lead-up to next year's presidential polls in France. "Paris will be the heart of the resistance against this alliance of the right, which seeks to take away what we hold most precious and fragile: the simple joy of living together," Gregoire said after projections landed from the second-round runoff of local elections. Why are the elections being closely watched? Voters across the country cast their ballots in the second and decisive round of local elections on Sunday, with closely watched mayoral races in Paris, Marseille and Lyon. The local elections are being closely watched to gauge the political mood in the country ahead of next year’s presidential race. The far right National Rally (RN) is eyeing its best chance yet to claim France's top political office. But RN candidates lost in several cities the party had identified as top priorities, including France’s second-largest city Marseille as well as southern cities Nimes and Toulon. In Marseille, incumbent left-wing Mayor Benoit Payan won over far-right candidate Franck Allisio. The far right, however, scored a major victory in the French Riviera city of Nice, where Eric Ciotti, a former conservative who allied with RN, won the mayoral race. RN chief Jordan Bardella has described his party's performance in the municipal elections as "the biggest breakthrough in its entire history," noting it had won dozens of local constituencies where it previously had no ‌presence. 'Reasons to be hopeful' The wins in Paris and Marseille provide a boost to the Socialist Party, which is weakened nationally. "Only the left can prevent France from this regression," party chief Olivier Faure said. In the northern city of Le Havre, former Prime Minister Edouard Philippe was re-elected mayor, bolstering his chances of running for president next year. Philippe, a centre-right politician, served as prime minister under the centrist President Emmanuel Macron from May 2017 to July 2020. Philippe said his victory showed "there were reasons to be hopeful" in the values of France and that the extremes can be beaten. Edited by: Louis Oelofse