MARINE Le Pen's far-right National Front has made ''historic'' gains in the first round of local elections in France, only narrowly trailing President Nicolas Sarkozy's UMP party.

In what observers called a ''severe warning'' to Mr Sarkozy, the UMP secured only a little more than 17 per cent of the vote. That put it less than 2 per cent ahead of the National Front, which is enjoying a revival under the leadership of Ms Le Pen, 42, the daughter of party founder Jean-Marie Le Pen.

"There's no Islamophobia ... I'm not fighting against a religion". MARINE LE PEN Credit:REUTERS

In the last comparable elections in 2008, the National Front received 5 per cent of the vote. Ms Le Pen described the results as ''historic'' and called on supporters to ''reinforce the Marine blue wave'' in this Sunday's second round.

The Socialists secured the largest share of the vote, with 25 per cent in round one, which was marred by record abstention levels. The elections, for select cantons in the country's 100 departments, attracted fewer than half the eligible voters. Although local in nature, they are seen as the last litmus test of the national mood before presidential and parliamentary elections next year.