ANTI-FASCISTS celebrated in France today after Marine Le Pen’s National Rally (RN) failed to win control of any regions in Sunday’s second round of regional elections.

Ms Le Pen’s far-right party, a revamp of the National Front, won about 20 per cent of votes cast, less than in either round of the last presidential elections. Other politicians welcomed its failure to make gains after it had been widely tipped to win control of a number of regional governments.

Incumbents held on in France’s 12 mainland regions, with conservative administrations keeping control of seven and the Socialist Party — which was humiliated at the last presidential election, winning less than 7 per cent of the vote — holding onto five. President Emmanuel Macron’s En Marche outfit, which did not exist at the last regional elections in 2015, also failed to break through anywhere.