Emmanuel Grégoire, a Socialist MP, is projected to be elected mayor of Paris, extending the left’s 25-year hold on the city. Early projections showed Grégoire winning with approximately 53% of the vote.
The election saw Grégoire, leading a united left including the Greens and Communists, compete against conservative Rachida Dati, a former minister who served under both Macron and Sarkozy. The race also included hard-left candidate Sophia Chikirou.
These municipal elections, held in over 1,500 communes, are being closely watched as a key indicator of the French public mood ahead of next year’s presidential election. Grégoire will succeed Anne Hidalgo as mayor.
Exit polls confirmed Grégoire’s comfortable lead over Dati in the second-round runoff, marking a significant win for the left in the French capital.