This is not actually what I've been seeing on France 3. They picked half a dozen regions and are not even offering an overall view. These regions are called "test" regions". Among them are Languedoc-Roussillon and Poitou-Charentes, where there was never any doubt about the result (so what kind of test were they?), but of course Georges Freche and Ségolène Royal (both won comfortably as expected) appear as rivals or in conflict with Martine Aubry. Of course, the UMP having held Alsace, an appearance is given of a backlash (or at least a return of the tide) against the PS.

Not a word about the other regions in the 20:00 estimations; not a word about united lists on the left. I could feel the narrative coming well before the estimations (that the journalists know in advance). All these serious people telling us we should just be looking at a handful of places, the better to spin this election as not too bad for the UMP.