The French far-right was beaten by traditional conservatives in two key battlegrounds in Sunday's regional elections, exit polls showed, dealing a blow to leader Marine Le Pen's presidential ambitions.
The southern Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur region was regarded as the far-right Rassemblement National’s best prospect for giving credibility to Ms Le Pen's claim that it is fit for power before the 2022 presidential election.
An exit poll by Ifop showed the far-right winning 44.2 per cent of the run-off vote in the region compared to 55.8 per cent for the mainstream conservatives.
A second survey by Opinionway showed the far-right taking 45 per cent of the vote compared to 55 per cent for its rivals.
In another contest in the northern Hauts-de-France region, exit polls showed the centre-right ticket led by Xavier Bertrand, another contender for the presidential vote, heading to a comfortable victory over the far-right.
Senior conservatives said the centre-right's strong performance nationwide meant it was the force for change, as exit polls showed President Emmanuel Macron's party performed poorly.
"The far-right has been stopped in its tracks and we have pushed it back sharply," Mr Bertrand told his supporters moments after the polls closed.
"This result gives me the strength to seek the nation's vote."
The projections, if confirmed, will raise questions over the success of Ms Le Pen's strategy in softening the image of her anti-immigration, Euro-sceptic party to make gains on the traditional right.
But analysts say the apparent failure of her party to win in two of its strongholds should not be considered a trend for next year's presidential election.
Turnout in the country's 13 regions was very low and voters typically have little affinity with their regional administrations, which are responsible for promoting economic development, transport and high schools.
