France’s National Rally (RN) and its allies won a record 14 seats in the 348-member Senate, giving the party enough seats to form its first Senate group.

Nine RN candidates won seats, while two candidates from Eric Ciotti’s allied Union of the Right for the Republic also won.

Marine Le Pen described the results as a “historic victory” ahead of France’s next presidential election scheduled for April 2027.

The Senate is elected indirectly by local officials, with half of its members elected every three years to six-year terms, The Guardian has reported.

The traditional center-right Republicans, centrists and Socialists are expected to remain major forces in the Senate, while the left-wing France Unbowed won its first Senate seat.