Election posters and campaign material

Regulatory fact sheet, updated on 2 November 2026. General information, not legal advice: legislation changes, so check it at the source.

In brief

• Election poster: 594 × 841 mm at most (A1 size), no national emblem, no blue-white-red combination that could be confused with the flag (Code électoral, the French Electoral Code, article R. 27).
• No white paper for posters, unless they are covered with coloured text or illustrations such that they cannot be confused with an official poster (1881 Act, article 15, made applicable by the Code électoral, article L. 48).
• Candidate statement (circulaire or profession de foi): only one, 210 × 297 mm, on 70 to 80 g/m² paper (article R. 29). Ballot papers: a single colour, white 70 to 80 g/m² paper, size depending on the number of names (article R. 30).
• Posting only on the official notice boards during the six months preceding the first day of the month of the election (article L. 51).
• Reimbursement of printing costs by the State (where the law provides for it): for candidate statements and ballot papers, only if they are printed on paper containing at least 50% recycled fibres or certified for sustainable forest management (article R. 39). The text does not impose this condition for posters.

1. Posters

Size and colours — Code électoral, article R. 27 (version in force since 1 January 2020):

• on election posters and candidate statements, the national emblem is prohibited;
• the juxtaposition of the three colours blue, white and red is prohibited where it is likely to cause confusion with the national emblem;
• exception: reproduction of the emblem of a political party or group;
• posters may not exceed 594 mm in width and 841 mm in height.

Source: https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/codes/article_lc/LEGIARTI000039779334

Before 2020, the text prohibited any “combination” of the three colours, with no condition of confusion. Many online guides still repeat the old rule.

White paper — Code électoral, article L. 48: the Act of 29 July 1881 applies to election campaign material (except its article 16); only posters issued by the authorities may be printed on white paper. The 1881 Act (article 15) allows white paper for a private poster covered with coloured text or illustrations, provided it cannot be confused with an official notice. Sources: https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/codes/section_lc/LEGITEXT000006070239/LEGISCTA000006148458/ and https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/loda/id/LEGITEXT000006070722

Printer's imprint — As article L. 48 makes the 1881 Act applicable, election posters and documents must bear the name and address of the printer (1881 Act, article 3). See the fact sheet Mandatory notices.

2. Where and when to post

• Official notice boards: during the election period, each municipality sets aside special sites, with an equal area for each candidate, pair of candidates or list (Code électoral, article L. 51).
• Prohibition elsewhere: during the six months preceding the first day of the month of the election and until the round in which it is decided, any poster relating to the election is prohibited outside these sites and on another candidate's site (article L. 51). The mayor, or failing that the prefect, may have irregular posters removed automatically after formal notice (articles L. 51 and R. 28-1).
• Penalty: a fine of €9,000 (Code électoral, article L. 90, version in force since 30 June 2020), applicable in particular to anyone who breaches the third paragraph of article L. 51, i.e. the prohibition of any poster relating to the election outside the reserved sites or on another candidate's site. Article L. 90 also penalises a candidate who uses their board for purposes other than presenting their candidacy or who hands it over to a third party. Source: https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/codes/article_lc/LEGIARTI000039446248
• Number of sites: 5 in municipalities with 500 voters or fewer, 10 in the others, plus one for every additional 3,000 voters above 5,000 (article R. 28, version in force since 9 August 2025).
• Official campaign: it opens on the second Monday before polling day (or the day after the first round for the second round) and ends at midnight on the eve of polling day (article L. 47 A).
• Eve of and polling day: from midnight on the eve of polling day, distributing ballot papers, candidate statements and other documents is prohibited (article L. 49).

3. Candidate statements and ballot papers

• Candidate statement (article R. 29, in force since 1 January 2022): only one per candidate, pair of candidates or list, sent out by the commission de propagande (the official campaign material committee); paper of 70 to 80 g/m², size 210 × 297 mm.
• Ballot papers (article R. 30, in force since 1 January 2022): printed in a single colour on white paper of 70 to 80 g/m²; size 105 × 148 mm (1 to 4 names), 148 × 210 mm (5 to 31 names), 210 × 297 mm (more than 31 names), in landscape orientation.
• Content of ballot papers (article L. 52-3, version in force since 13 August 2025): no names other than those of the candidates (with exceptions for Paris, Lyon and Marseille), no depiction of any other person or of an animal; an emblem is allowed.
• Checks: the commission de propagande does not send out candidate statements that do not comply with articles R. 27 and R. 29, nor ballot papers that do not comply with articles L. 52-3 and R. 30 (article R. 38).
• Digital version: a digital version of the candidate statement is submitted for publication online (article R. 38-1, in force since 8 November 2025).
• Legal deposit: candidate statements and ballot papers are exempt (articles R. 29 and R. 30; Code du patrimoine, the French Heritage Code, article R. 132-2).

Source: https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/codes/section_lc/LEGITEXT000006070239/LEGISCTA000006148579/

4. Reimbursement of printing costs

Where the law provides for reimbursement by the State (article R. 39):

• 2 identical posters of 594 × 841 mm maximum per site;
• 2 posters of 297 × 420 mm maximum announcing election meetings, per site;
• candidate statements: number of voters + 5%;
• ballot papers: twice the number of voters + 10%;
• up to the printing and posting rates set by joint order (arrêté) of the Minister of the Interior and the Minister responsible for the economy; these rates are set by reference to documents printed on white paper complying with the grammage and size in articles R. 29 and R. 30, and may vary according to quantities and the round of voting (article R. 39, version in force since 23 March 2014);
• paper condition: the printing costs of candidate statements and ballot papers are only reimbursed if they are produced from environmentally sound paper, i.e. paper containing at least 50% recycled fibres or holding an international certification of sustainable forest management. The article does not impose this condition for posters.
• an order (arrêté) of the Minister of the Interior sets out the detailed implementing conditions (same article).

Source: https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/codes/article_lc/LEGIARTI000028112268

5. Commercial advertising and other prohibitions

• During the six months preceding the first day of the month of the election, commercial advertising for election campaign purposes is prohibited in the press or by any means of audiovisual communication (article L. 52-1, first paragraph, version in force since 20 April 2011). The text only covers these two channels; it does not mention distributed printed matter, the posting of which is, however, governed by article L. 51. Source: https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/codes/section_lc/LEGITEXT000006070239/LEGISCTA000006148458/
• No freephone number may be publicised by a candidate during the same period (article L. 50-1).
• These rules also apply to electronic messages (article L. 48-1).

For the printer: checkpoints

1. Poster size ≤ 594 × 841 mm.
2. No flag, no Marianne and no blue-white-red combination that could evoke the national emblem (except a party logo).
3. Background not white, or entirely covered in colour.
4. Printer's name and address on every document.
5. Candidate statement 210 × 297 mm, 70-80 g/m²; ballot papers on white paper 70-80 g/m², one colour, correct size.
6. Candidate statements and ballot papers: recycled paper (≥ 50%) or paper certified for sustainable forest management (FSC, PEFC…) if the candidate wants to be reimbursed.

Main sources

• Code électoral, articles L. 47 A to L. 52-3: https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/codes/section_lc/LEGITEXT000006070239/LEGISCTA000006148458/
• Code électoral, articles R. 27 to R. 39: https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/codes/section_lc/LEGITEXT000006070239/LEGISCTA000006148579/
• Code électoral, article L. 90: https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/codes/article_lc/LEGIARTI000039446248
• Code électoral, article R. 39: https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/codes/article_lc/LEGIARTI000028112268
• Act of 29 July 1881 (loi du 29 juillet 1881), articles 3 and 15: https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/loda/id/LEGITEXT000006070722

General information, not legal advice. Written on 1 November 2026.

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