After the first round of France’s municipal elections, the Socialist candidate Emmanuel Grégoire leads in Paris, holding roughly 37 % of the vote. He will face the Republican challenger Rachida Dati-who secured about 25 %-in the second ballot next week. Also advancing to the run‑off are Sophia Chikirou of the far‑left LFI and Pierre‑Yves Bournazel of the centre‑right Horizons; both surpass the 10 % threshold that is required to qualify.
Meanwhile, the hard‑right Rassemblement National (RN) celebrated the re‑election of several of its mayors who did not need a second round, having won outright in the first count. President Emmanuel Macron’s party, Renaissance, marked the election of around 100 mayors who likewise achieved an absolute majority and are therefore exempt from a run‑off.
Many mayors elected in 2020 during the so‑called “green wave” across seven metropolitan areas now face significant pressure. In Strasbourg, for instance, Jeanne Barseghian finished third, behind former Socialist mayor Catherine Trautmann and Republican opponent Jean‑Philippe Vetter.
Specific city contests included Marseille, where the incumbent mayor Benoit Payan ran head‑to‑head against RN candidate Franck Allisio. In Lyon, the former Olympique Lyonnais chief Jean‑Michel Aulas and the sitting mayor Grégory Doucet tied in the municipal vote.
