Marine Le Pen’s National Front Makes Historic Gains in French Regional Vote

PARIS—France’s far-right National Front gained the largest share of support in a first round of regional elections Sunday, putting it in the lead to win control of several regions in a second vote next week, preliminary results showed.

The first-round results highlight the emergence of Marine Le Pen’s National Front as a third pole in French politics, capable of luring mainstream voters. Ms. Le Pen, who has combined the party’s anti-immigration stance with calls for hard-line security measures and tighter control of France’s borders, has only bolstered her support in the three weeks since the Paris attacks.