At stake were the presidencies of each of France's 26 regions which, although they do not have legislative powers, manage sizeable budgets.

The left won control of twenty of the twenty-two regions of metropolitan France, defeating the parties of the mainstream right, the Union for a Popular Movement (UMP) and the Union for French Democracy (UDF), and the extreme right National Front (FN).

The results were seen as a major setback for the then President Jacques Chirac and Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin.

Party (alliance members) Socialist Party (PCF - PRG) The Greens (UDB - Frankiz Breizh) Union for a Popular Movement Union for French Democracy National Front Revolutionary Communist League (LO) National Republican Movement Normally conservative Brittany is captured by the left.

The left retains control of Île-de-France, the region surrounding Paris and gets a comfortable majority.

The left retains control of Limousin, with Denanot succeeding the retiring incumbent Robert Savy.

Jean-Marie Le Pen, who intended to run in this region, was disqualified because he did not fulfill the legal conditions: he neither lived there, nor was registered as a taxpayer there.