The French people are today voting in the first round of regional elections.
Voting comes just over three weeks after the terrorist attacks in Paris on November 13th, during which 130 people were killed.
Today's ballot is being seen as an early test of the French public's support for their government's response to the attacks.
The National Front - the far-right, anti-EU party led by Marine Le Pen - is expected to see an increase in support. Both Le Pen and her niece Marion Marechal-Le Pen are expected to win seats in their regions.
Meanwhile the centre-right Les Republicains party - led by former President Nicolas Sarkozy - is expected to win a majority of regions.
The move towards the right will come at the expense of president Francois Hollande's Socialist Party, which currently has a majority in the country's National Assembly.
BBC reports that Mr Hoallande's approval ratings are at 50% in the wake of the attacks, but the high personal support is not expected to be reflected in today's poll.
The regional election polls opened this morning, and will close at 7pm.
Around 44 million people are eligible to vote in the elections, which are taking place today and on the 13th of December. The vote is for 13 regional assemblies in continental France, and four additional overseas territories.
