The French legislative by-elections on July 7th are shaping up to be a referendum-like contest, particularly in the Tarn region.

Guilhem Carayon, a 25-year-old far-right candidate supported by the National Rally (RN), leads with 43.51% of the votes in the first round.

He faces Jean Terlier, the incumbent Macronist deputy, who secured 28.6%.

The election has drawn significant attention, with politicians from various parties rallying behind Terlier to block the far-right's advance.

Meanwhile, in Tarn-et-Garonne, another RN-backed candidate, Brigitte Barèges, has already defeated socialist deputy Valérie Rabault.

These results signal a growing influence of the far-right in French politics, turning local elections into crucial battles against extremism.