By making such insulting remarks about the National Rally senators, the president of the Socialist group is disgracing himself. He is insulting, through them, the hundreds of local elected officials who chose yesterday to cast their votes for our candidates. When one claims to be committed to the values of the Republic, one must respect all elected officials of the Republic, including those who do not share your views.
Marine Le Pen accuses Patrick Kanner of making insulting remarks about the arrival of senators from the National Rally and its ally, the UDR. Beyond the war of words, the senatorial elections of September 27, 2026, raise a political question: what role will these newly elected officials play in a chamber where their opponents intend to challenge them?
The main fact
In a message published on September 28, Marine Le Pen accused the president of the Socialist group in the Senate of disrespecting National Rally (RN) elected officials. She believes his remarks also target local elected officials who voted for their candidates. Patrick Kanner does indeed lead the Socialist, Ecologist and Republican group, according to the Senate website.
What happened
On September 27, after the senatorial elections, Patrick Kanner reacted on Public Sénat to the prospect of a group uniting the National Rally (RN) and the Union of Democrats for the Republic (UDR). He stated his intention to contain the « excesses » of this group and used the expression « museum of horrors. » The following day, Marine Le Pen deemed these words offensive and called for respect for all elected officials of the Republic, including those with whom one disagrees. Kanner’s statement was reported with its context by Le Journal du Dimanche .
The context
Senators are not directly elected by all citizens. The Ministry of the Interior points out that they are elected by a body composed primarily of elected officials and municipal delegates. The election on September 27th renewed 178 of the 348 Senate seats. The Ministry publishes the results by constituency.
Following the election, the National Rally (RN) and the Union for the Defense of the Republic (UDR) have enough elected representatives to consider forming a joint group: the Senate sets the threshold at ten members, in addition to the requirement to submit a political declaration. However, reaching the threshold is not the same as having already formed the group. The list of groups published by the Senate on September 29 does not yet include an RN-UDR group.
Key figures
- 178 seats were up for renewal on September 27, 2026, out of the 348 seats in the Senate.
- Ten members are required to form a political group in the Senate.
What the facts show
Marine Le Pen speaks of « hundreds of local elected officials » who allegedly supported her party’s candidates. The indirect election lends weight to her argument: these senators were indeed chosen by an electoral college, and their election cannot be dismissed out of hand. However, the information provided here does not allow us to establish the precise number of local elected officials to whom she refers.
The distinction is clear: Patrick Kanner can announce his firm opposition to the National Rally and the Union for the Republic; Marine Le Pen can contest his words. However, the expression « museum of horrors » transforms a political disagreement into a confrontation over the respect due to elected officials. For now, the documented consequence is a public controversy, not a decision by the Senate.
Key takeaways
The National Rally (RN) and the Union for the Republic (UDR) have crossed a significant electoral threshold in the Senate. Patrick Kanner announced that he would fight their platform; Marine Le Pen responded by emphasizing respect for republican principles. Words have launched the battle. The actual composition of the parliamentary groups, and subsequently the parliamentary debates, will reveal the concrete impact of this new situation.
Source: Marine Le Pen
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