How was the coverage of the legislative

elections different?

Normally the legislative elections confirm the results of the

presidential vote. But the big novelty of this vote was the lef-

tist coalition built by Jean-Luc Mélenchon, the Nupes, which

threatened to win an alternative majority and prevent the

president from governing. So as the stakes were bigger, so

was the interest. In the end, the president’s camp did come

first in terms of the number of seats, but with a relative ma-

jority. And the Nupes did win a significant number of MPs,

as did the RN, which had never before won so many.

Beyond the national stakes, legislative elections are also lo-

cal elections in each of the 577 constituencies. Our regional

bureaux therefore set to work telling local stories, prepa-

ring profiles of local politicians, and writing regional focus

stories, as well as reportage.

There was also a lot of work to do between the two rounds,

with several angles to be explored: the workers’ vote which

continued to trend towards the RN, the former PS and UMP

bastions that were crumbling, ex-ministers of Emmanuel

Macron who saw their seats come under threat, suburbs co-

ming out for LFI candidates. It was a fascinating election to

cover and we felt that the general public attached greater

importance to this vote than to the presidential.

Available in all online bookshops

THE YEAR

IN PICTURES

Agence France-Presse presents here its best images of the past year, covering themes as varied as politics,

international news, the climate, culture, sport and popular traditions. A testament to the expertise of the

Agency's photographers, the book invites us to (re)explore 2022 through nearly 300 photos.

Old-fashioned artillery fire in the heart of the "Land of Blood", so named for having been the scene of the

worst mass killings of the last century how could we not open our review of the past year marked by the

return of the war of attrition in old Europe with this photo The conflict makes us revisit history but also

progress in geography places like the Irpin bridge Yablunska street in Bucha the Kramatorsk railway sta

tion the Mariupol steelworks have become familiar to us synonymous with barbarity but also with solida

rity sometimes with heroism

Everywhere the photographers document the sad daily life of war but also the resistance and the strength

of love Another new beginning in history with the first year of the return of the Taliban who did not wait

long before showing that they have not changed their interpretation of Islam the enslavement of women

remains on the agenda