RESULTS in the French regional election were described as “a democratic slap in the face,” with disastrous showings for both centrist President Emmanuel Macron and far-right Marine Le Pen’s respective parties.

Ms Le Pen’s National Rally (RN) secured a national vote share of just 19 per cent in Sunday’s poll, nine points lower than the last regional elections in 2015. 

RN was expecting to top the poll in at least six of France’s 13 regions but instead came first in just one, the southern Provence-Alpes–Cote d’Azur region.

The far-right leader blamed the poor results on a low turnout, something that usually benefits her party, and has urged supporters to mobilise for the second round of voting.

Results were even worse for Mr Macron’s La Republique En Marche (LREM) party, which took just 10 per cent of the national vote share.

It failed to garner enough votes to stand in the second round of voting in the northern Hauts-de-France region despite having five cabinet members on the ballot.

Party spokeswoman Aurore Berge called the results a “democratic slap in the face,” a reference to the physical slap received by the French president during the campaign.

Presidential elections are scheduled for next year.