00:02France's far-right National Rally Party and its allies secured a record 14 seats in the right-wing-dominated Senate,
00:09effectively quadrupling its number in the 348-seat chamber just months before presidential election.
00:16We are happy and extremely enthusiastic about these results,
00:22which mark an additional step in the establishment of the National Rassemblement in our country.
00:28I am happy that the National Rassemblement, for the first time, has its history to enter the Senate
00:35with a group that will be composed in the next few days and which will, in addition to the three
00:42candidates we have already in the Senate,
00:45to carry the ideas of the National Rassemblement, to defend the French.
00:48Local elected officials vote for new senators for half the upper chamber every three years, each to serve a six
00:55-year term.
00:56The right, center and left-wing socialists looked set to remain the three major forces in the upper house,
01:02according to initial results, while the hard-left France unbowed party won its first-ever seat.
01:07The results come as far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen eyes her best chance yet at power
01:13in elections next year when President Emmanuel Macron steps down.
