France's far-right sparks hope and fear ahead of election The Picardy countryside is a picturesque stretch of France with little to offer its young people, making it an ideal recruiting ground for the National Front, which is polling over 40 percent across much of the region ahead of the departmental elections this weekend. France has 96 departments made up of local cantons, which are tasked with running the country's local administration. A voiced AFPTV report.