Socialist Emmanuel Grégoire was elected mayor of Paris, defeating former minister Rachida Dati, while Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Front failed to win key cities in the second round of local elections in France.
Grégoire celebrated his victory by cycling with the future councillors, stressing that Paris will continue its policy of supporting cycling and protecting the environment.
– There is a lot of work and we start already tomorrow morning – he said, adding that the priority will be to help the most vulnerable.
With around 52 percent of the vote, Grégoire won a clear victory over Dati, who tried to return the right to power in the capital after 25 years of left-wing dominance, writes the BBC.
– Paris will be the heart of the resistance against the alliance of the right and the extreme right – said Grégoire.
In Marseille, Mayor Benoît Payan, leading a coalition of Socialists and Greens, also retained power, while former prime minister Édouard Philippe was re-elected mayor of Le Havre, a springboard for the 2027 presidential election.
The far right saw gains in smaller cities like Carcassonne, but lost Toulon and Nîmes. However, key National Front ally Éric Ciotti won Nice, France’s fifth largest city, in what is seen as a significant gain for the far right.
Les Républicains scored victories in several medium-sized cities, including Clermont-Ferrand, while in Lyon Mayor Grégory Doucet retained his mandate.
Jordan Bardella, leader of the National Front, said the increase in the number of local councilors was historic.
(Vijesti.ba/Fena)
