Paris (AFP)

The outgoing president (Libres !, ex-LR) Valérie Pécresse arrives well in the lead in the 1st round of the regional in Ile-de-France, marked by the decline of the RN and the pole position for the ecologist Julien Bayou in the primary on the left .

In a ballot marked by a record abstention exceeding two-thirds of the voters (68.90%), six candidates are estimated to cross the 10% mark necessary to stay in the second round.

And as in most regions, the incumbent turns widely in the lead in the capital region, in proportions here in line with what the polls suggested.

With between 34.2% and 36.4% according to estimates, Valérie Pécresse gains at least 4 points compared to 2015, when she had delighted the region to the left.

Even if this advance does not give it a margin compared to the total of the three left-wing candidates, Ms. Pécresse will advance alone in the second round: "same list, same project", assured the one who excluded during her campaign any alliance with LREM.

"A dynamic is engaged but we must make it even stronger. I need a clear majority to lead the region," said the former minister of Nicolas Sarkozy, who conditioned his political future on his re-election.

If the RN comes in second position (between 13 and 13.7%), it is down 5 points compared to 2015, while Debout La France did not present a list this time.

Its candidate Jordan Bardella, vice-president of the party, called for a "jump" in the second round.

"Complaining is good, voting is better," he said on France 2.

Among the four following candidates, who follow each other in a pocket handkerchief, the other winner of the first round is called Julien Bayou: with 12.5 to 13.7% of the vote, the EELV candidate leads the candidates of left and forces Audrey Pulvar (PS, between 10.5 and 11.8%) and Clémentine Autain (LFI / PCF, 10%) to line up behind him for the expected merger list.

"We are going to create a surprise" against Valérie Pécresse, said on France 2 the national secretary of EELV.

To whom the support of the PS seems acquired: Anne Hidalgo, socialist mayor of Paris of whom Ms. Pulvar is the deputy, called for a "large gathering of left forces and environmentalists at her side".

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With around 12% of the vote, the presidential majority candidate Laurent Saint-Martin achieves a disappointing score given the reinforcement provided by the five members of the government present on his lists.

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