The constituency is made up of the six former
cantons of Audeux, Besançon-Nord-Ouest, Besançon-Ouest, Besançon-Planoise, Boussières, and Quingey. At the time of the 1999 census (which was the basis for
the most recent redrawing of constituency boundaries, carried out in 2010) the 1st constituency had a total population of 108,193. Since 1988 the constituency has been a
bellwether seat: that is to say, one where the voting has so closely matched the pattern exhibited in the overall result nationwide that opinion in the constituency can be viewed as an indicator for the political mood of
France as a whole. == Historic representation ==