Emmanuel Grégoire, the Socialist candidate who led a joint list of the traditional left, the Greens and the Communists, has won the Paris mayoral race. Polling groups put his share of the vote at roughly 51 to 53 percent, and his Conservative rival Rachida Dati conceded defeat.

How Grégoire won Paris

The 48-year-old, the son of a teacher and a civil servant, served as deputy to outgoing mayor Anne Hidalgo and ran on promises to make Paris a city of refuge and a bastion against the right and the far right. His victory came from a campaign that united several strands of the left behind a single ticket.

What else changed in France

The municipal elections were watched as a barometer of national politics. The results were mixed across the country:

  • Marseille: Socialist incumbent Benoît Payan was on track for re-election, with an Elabe poll showing about 56.3 percent. A withdrawal by a hard-left candidate helped consolidate left-wing votes.
  • Toulon: Centre-right candidate Josée Massi led on around 53.5 percent, with National Rally candidate Laure Lavalette conceding.
  • Nice: Exit polls indicated a win for Éric Ciotti, a former mainstream conservative who is now aligned with the National Rally. The RN also recorded victories in smaller towns and kept Perpignan.
  • Le Havre: Former prime minister Édouard Philippe was re-elected mayor, a result that commentators say strengthens his future national prospects.

Parties react

Olivier Faure, leader of the Socialist Party, celebrated the Paris and Marseille results and framed them as a defense against the far right. The National Rally called the overall municipal showing its biggest breakthrough ever, with leader Jordan Bardella pointing to new local wins. Some RN figures denied that losses in certain big cities show a limit to their appeal ahead of the presidential election.

Turnout and context

At 5pm local time on election day, turnout on the French mainland was just over 48 percent. That was higher than in the 2020 municipal vote held during the pandemic, but about four points lower than in 2014, according to the Ministry of the Interior.

The municipal results leave the left holding key urban ground in Paris and Marseille, while the National Rally secures important local gains in other cities. The outcomes will be watched closely as France moves toward the 2027 presidential race.