Passersby looked particularly happy in Seine-Saint-Denis, one of France’s poorest departments after a surprising twist in the run-off elections organised on July 7. In Les Lilas, a traditionally left-wing city where diverse communities live together, the day of the results was marked by relief after the announcement. “The whole world was worried for us,” says Kouame, a 34-year-old man of Ivorian descent who works in a fast-food restaurant. “I had voted for Macron in 2017, but now I voted for the left for the two rounds. I am very happy with the result,” he said. Sanaa, a 42-year-old seller of …