PARIS, France (AFP) ­— French voters abstained in their millions Sunday from a final round of municipal elections predicted to deal a blow to the party of President Emmanuel Macron.

The opening election round was held just as the COVID-19 pandemic was gaining deadly momentum, but the second phase, originally scheduled for March 22, was postponed after France went into lockdown.

Analysts expect the election to confirm that Macron's centrist Republic on the Move (LREM) party – founded by the president ahead of his 2017 election win – has failed to gain a strong foothold at local level.

Paris is buzzing with speculation that a poor showing by the LREM on Sunday could see Macron reshuffle his Cabinet, possibly axing Philippe who campaigned to be mayor of the Normandy port city of Le Havre.

With just 22 months to the next presidential election, Macron's main challenger is far-right leader Marine Le Pen of the National Rally.