The Socialists, who now run almost all of the country’s regions, were projected to come in a weak third place, with between 22 and 24 percent, followed by a smattering of mainly leftist groupings.
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The National Front has never won a single region, and a poll from French survey agency BVA last Sunday predicted the party would win two regions, possibly three.
In light of the recent attacks in Paris by “Islamic State” (IS) militants, terrorism was a main focal point for the right-wing party in the run up to Sunday’s vote.
The issue of the so-called “barrage republicain” – a “barricade to block the FN – will be at the centre of the campaign for the second round next Sunday (13 December)”. FN party leaders have consistently linked terrorism with immigration.
Victories next week would not only hand control of a regional government to the FN for the first time, but would also give Marine Le Pen a springboard for her presidential bid in 2017.
Like other anti-immigration, anti-Europe parties across the continent, the FN is likely to gain from worries over the refugee crisis to win at least one region, and possibly more, in a conclusive run-off on Dec 13, opinion polls show.
The elections Sunday took place in an unusually tense security climate, expected to favor conservative and far right candidates and strike a new blow against the Socialists.
The governing Socialist Party, already licking their wounds following heavy losses in last year’s local and European elections, has been bracing for losing most councils to either the conservatives or the FN despite sharp rise in President Francois Hollande’s popularity, according to the country’s pollsters. “The national movement is now the largest party in France, while it is barely represented in parliament”, Marine Le Pen told TF1 TV channel.
Voters left and right joined together to keep Marine’s father Jean-Marie Le Pen from winning a presidential runoff in 2002.
The nationalist party is set to win almost 30 percent of the vote nationally, according to BBC, and many of its high-profile figures won with solid majorities in their respective regions.
Le Pen called on all patriots to back her party in the second round and turn their backs on this political class that deceives them.
Ahead of the vote, Prime Minister Manuel Valls urged party activists to “appeal to patriotism” to ensure a massive turnout, with Le Pen accusing him of waging “total war” against her.
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After the Nov 13 attacks, we saw a clear increase in support for the National Front.
