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Paris Has a New Boss

Emmanuel Grégoire, a Socialist long involved in local politics, succeeds Anne Hidalgo as mayor
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Mar 23, 2026 10:07 AM CDT
Paris Has a New Boss
French socialist candidate for the Paris mayoral election Emmanuel Gregoire celebrates after he won the second round of France's municipal elections in Paris, France, Sunday, March 22, 2026.   (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

Emmanuel Grégoire, a Socialist little known to the French public, was elected mayor of Paris in a runoff vote Sunday, succeeding fellow party member Anne Hidalgo. Soon after claiming victory, Grégoire, 48, took a city bike through the streets of Paris toward City Hall, echoing his promise to make the French capital greener. Grégoire won over 50% of the votes, reports the AP, beating out prominent conservative contender Rachida Dati who reached 41% while hard-left contender Sophia Chikirou got about 8%. Sunday's vote showed clear gains for the traditional left and right, and one major win for the far right in the French Riviera city of Nice. Long a discreet figure in French politics, Grégoire had for years worked by the side of Hidalgo, who chose not to run for a third term. Things to know about Grégoire:

  • A local career: Grégoire joined the Socialist party at 24 in 2002, got involved in Paris politics and eight years later became the chief of staff of Paris' then-mayor, Bertrand Delanoë. Grégoire subsequently worked in the prime minister's office under President Francois Hollande. He became Hidalgo's first deputy mayor from 2018 to 2024, overseeing budget, urban policies, and public services. In 2024, he was elected to the National Assembly and last year launched his bid to succeed Hidalgo. "I believe that in politics, it's healthy when grassroots work pays off more than social media" he said.
  • A victim of child abuse: Grégoire recently revealed he had been a victim of sexual abuse while in elementary school between the ages of 9 and 10. "This is the story of a child who … was sexually abused for several months during after-school activities at a municipal swimming pool," Grégoire told France Inter Radio last year. "At the time, I couldn't find the strength, the means, or the words to express that pain and suffering. I kept it hidden for decades."

  • A rivalry within the left: At the city level, Grégoire has led a broad left-ecologist political coalition of Socialists, Greens, and Communists, but has ruled out any alliance with the hard-left party France Unbowed of veteran leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon. Ahead of the runoff, France Unbowed candidate Chikirou offered to join forces with Grégoire against Dati, but he declined, saying they do not share the same "values."
  • Focus on housing Parisians: Grégoire has repeatedly said that "Airbnb is my enemy." "I'm fine with Parisians renting out their primary residence when they go on vacation. But I don't want entire neighborhoods in Paris to be emptied of their residents because apartments are used exclusively to house tourists," he said during the campaign.
  • Feud with Hidalgo: Grégoire was long seen as the favorite to succeed Hidalgo, but a dispute between the two in 2024 almost derailed his bid. "Anne Hidalgo didn't back me. She did everything she could to torpedo my candidacy," Grégoire said last month. Hidalgo initially supported another Socialist figure to succeed her, but ultimately endorsed Grégoire. She welcomed Grégoire with a hug and a rose at the City Hall on Sunday, praising his "very, very beautiful victory."

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