Emmanuel Macron’s centrist party and Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally both failed to garner expected support in French regional elections that saw an unprecedented rate of abstention.

The president and his government failed to mobilize supporters, with an estimated 68% of voters shunning the polling stations – an unprecedented rate of abstention. If there was any consolation for the ruling party it was that exit polls suggested Le Pen’s far-right National Rally had failed to garner its expected support.

Early results indicated that the main winners were various centre-right parties, including the main opposition Les Républicains, who were supported by 29.3% of voters. National Rally polled 19.1% and the Socialist party 16.5%. Macron’s La République En Marche (LREM) was estimated to have won 10.9% of votes.