Increasing crime and insecurity are causing French voters to look to the right.
Ahead of this weekend's second round of voting, Marine Le Pen's National Rally is gaining momentum.
Young people don't want chaos in France, says candidate Tom Maiani.
Last summer, France was shaken by widespread riots following the death of a 17-year-old boy, Nahel, who was shot by a police officer during a traffic stop. For several weeks, there were large demonstrations in many parts of the country.
Cars were set on fire and violent confrontations took place between demonstrators and police.
In the town of Mont-Saint-Martin in northeastern France, nine buildings were set on fire. Among other things, a preschool and a center for children with autism were destroyed.
24-year-old Tom Maiani, who lives in the town, sat in his car every night for three weeks. He was afraid that someone would set it on fire.
The riots marked me and strengthened my political convictions. Young people don't want chaos in France, says Maiani.
He decided to run for the far-right party National Rally (RN).
Crime increased in 2023
In France, crime rates increased in 2023, according to police figures. One reason cited is that drug trafficking has spread to French small towns.
The unrest, combined with a series of deadly knife fights between teenagers in normally quiet towns and villages, has made crime and insecurity burning issues in the parliamentary election.
This has benefited National Rally, led by Marine Le Pen.
In the village of Crépol south of Lyon, the party doubled its results in the EU election in June. The reason is believed to be a violent incident at the end of last year, in which a 16-year-old was stabbed to death and several others were injured when they were attacked outside a party venue by a youth gang from an immigrant-dense residential area.
"Marked for life"
Pierre Didier, who lives in Crépol, says that his grandson was "marked for life" by the event.
Before, my grandson was open-minded and tolerant, now he's completely for the far right. When he reaches voting age, he'll vote for RN, he told AFP.
RN leader Jordan Bardella, who has his sights set on the prime minister's post, has accused the teenagers from the designated residential area of coming "to stab whites".
Bardella has promised to make it easier to deport immigrants who have been convicted of crimes. He also wants to reduce benefits to parents whose children repeatedly commit crimes.
From the left-wing alliance New People's Front (NFP), they want to focus on trying to calm the tensions between the police and young people with immigrant backgrounds. Among other things, by investing in community policing.
It's too late. On my street, everyone is voting for National Rally, says Crépol resident Jacques Bonoris.
