Socialist candidate Emmanuel Grégoire is leading in the race to become Paris’s next mayor, according to initial results from Sunday’s election. The outcome could extend the left’s quarter-century hold on the city’s leadership.
Grégoire garnered 36.4% of the vote, significantly ahead of conservative Rachida Dati, a former French culture minister, according to an Ipsos–BVA–Cesi poll. Another exit poll, conducted by Ifop–Fiducial, showed Grégoire with 37% of the vote and Dati at 25.2%. The results suggest a tight runoff election is likely.
Several other candidates are expected to advance to the second round, including Pierre-Yves Bournazel, representing the center-right, and Sophia Chikirou, from the radical left. Some polls also indicate that Sarah Knafo, representing the far-right, may have surpassed the 10% threshold needed to qualify, France24 reports.
The final outcome hinges on whether these candidates will withdraw in favor of the frontrunners or forge alliances. Grégoire has pledged to continue policies focused on greening the city and reducing traffic, while Dati is attempting to consolidate right-leaning voters for a potential comeback in the second round.
The mayoral race is particularly significant as Paris has been under left-wing leadership for the past 25 years, following the tenures of Bertrand Delanoë and Anne Hidalgo. The result will be closely watched as a barometer of the political climate in France and could have implications for national elections.
