Municipal 2026: Paris, Lyon, Marseille, Bordeaux… the tour of France of the hot spots of the election

As the next municipal elections approach, scheduled for March 2026, La Dépêche du Midi offers you an overview of the different situations in the major cities of France.

Paris

Anne Hidalgo will not be a candidate in 2026 for a third term as mayor of Paris, preferring to endorse Rémi Féraud to prepare for his succession. The PS senator is one of his greatest followers. At 53, the former mayor of the 10th arrondissement, who chairs the municipal majority group in the Council of Paris, “has the solidity, seriousness and ability to unite necessary” to become mayor of Paris, according to Anne Hidalgo. Qualities which will be put to the test as the campaign and the election should be tense within the PS itself. Among the known candidates, there is one who knows Anne Hidalgo well: her former first deputy Emmanuel Grégoirewith whom she is at odds, declared himself a candidate to “ease tensions” and become “the mayor of the reconciliation of Parisians”. The 46-year-old PS deputy has already inflicted a scathing defeat on former minister Clément Beaune in the legislative elections.

Also read:
Municipal elections 2026: why Anne Hidalgo will not run for mayor of Paris

On the Macronist side, two names are circulating: the former Prime Minister, Gabriel Attaland the current Minister of Culture, Rachida Dataalso mayor of the 7th arrondissement of Paris. The two personalities are among the favorites of an Ipsos poll unveiled on November 18 in The Parisian. 42% of those questioned consider that the former Prime Minister would make a good mayor of Paris, followed by Rachida Dati (39%). However, the one who comes at the top of this poll has never confirmed his desire to become mayor of Paris. Another personality from the presidential camp, Pierre-Yves Bournazelformer Horizons MP and supported by Edouard Philippe, is also a candidate. There is no official candidacy among the Ecologists, but the name of David Belliarddeputy mayor of Paris in charge of the transformation of public space and transport, is circulating. Yannick Jadotsenator from Paris, could also take a position. Other names are mentioned like Ian Brossat for the PCF, Sophia Chikirou for LFI and Thierry Mariani for the RN.

Marseille

“Benoît Payan (ex-PS) is our natural head of list,” said Samia Ghali in Provence about the outgoing mayor. The deputy (DVG) of Marseille calls for a union list on the left in 2026. She knows that the fight will be tough and Benoit Payan should be at the heart of all attacks. And they will come from all sides, first from the former minister Sabrina Agresti-Roubache (Renaissance) which marks the territory: “I will play my part whatever happens in 2026 so that the city changes”, says the one who is in charge of the 'Marseille en grand' plan. On the right too, we are preparing our weapons, with Renaud Muselier, president of the Region, and Martine Vassal, boss of the department, who intend to find the candidate who will take Marseille back from the left. Another personality who could reshuffle the Marseille cards: Sebastien Delogu (LFI). Extremely popular in certain Marseille neighborhoods, the Insoumis deputy had left the door open when asked about a potential candidacy in September. “For the moment, I am a deputy. If someone asks me, I could think about it,” he commented on Sud Radio.

If one camp has already marked its territory, it is the National Rally (RN). The party struck a major blow in Bouches-du-Rhône by winning the partial municipal election of Rognac on Sunday, November 24. “A historic victory” and a “strong message”, according to the MP Franck Allisioprobable candidate of the party.

Lyon

The ecologist Gregory Doucet is already a candidate for re-election. “In the Rhône territory, the central bloc made up of the Renaissance, Horizons, Modem and Radical Party parties, has chosen the rally,” it was announced in a joint press release. Thanks to “a broad coalition”, they hope to win against “the NFP teams, in Lyon and in mainland France” by presenting a single candidacy during these two elections. The candidates should be known in the first half of 2025, according to BFMTV. Right, Pierre Oliver (LR), current mayor of the 2nd arrondissement, should unsurprisingly be the “natural candidate” in 2026.

If Grégory Doucet is already a candidate, he could have to deal with the divisions on the left. The agreements made in 2020, in particular with LFI, seem very distant. The mayor of Lyon has even appeared with François Ruffin, now hated by the Insoumis, in recent weeks. Should we see a sign there? “What I have heard are socialists who do not want a union, I have heard of Greens who do not want one. What the Insoumis have said for the moment is that they preferred that there be union lists”, warned Jean-Luc Mélenchon who does not rule out presenting an Insoumis candidate in the event of disagreements. Will the capital of Gaul be affected?

Bordeaux

The ecologist Pierre Hurmicwho took the town hall of Bordeaux from the right in 2020, is expected to run again in 2026. As in Lyon, the outgoing green mayor faces complicated negotiations with his left-wing allies. Objective: to be able to present yourself under a single candidacy, with the PS, LFI and others behind it. Pierre Hurmic will really need it in this historic stronghold of the right because an alliance is being prepared in front of him. That of its two 2020 competitors: Nicolas Florian (LR), the successor of Alain Juppé, and the former Macronist minister Thomas Cazenave. An alliance materialized by the creation of an opposition intergroup “in order to prepare for the deadlines of the coming months”.

Nice

Comfortably elected to the town hall of Nice in 2020, Christian Estrosi (Horizons) will be a candidate in 2026. If an Ifop poll, published this Monday, November 25 by The Tribuneinstalled him a little more as a favorite for his own succession, there is definitely a downside. And this shadow is called Eric Ciotti. As is often the case on the Côte d'Azur, the two men on the right should come face to face. 61% of respondents therefore declared to be “satisfied” with the current mayor of Nice but at the same time, 53% believe that Eric Ciotti would make a good mayor. Patrick German (PS), reached 42% “yes”, ahead of Mireille Damianowithout label and candidate Nupes, with 36%. Next Juliette Chesnel-Rouxpresident of the environmental group at Nice town hall (35%) and Benoît Kandelhead of the local RN (35%).

Lille

There will be something new near the Belfry of Lille. Mayor since 2001, Martine Aubry will leave City Hall after a 4th consecutive term. In 2020, she was ahead of her environmentalist rival by 227 votes Stéphane Baly (EELV). The latter will again be a candidate with the hope for environmentalists of stealing a new large city from the PS. In the Macronist camp, Violette Spilleboutwho came 3rd in 2020, will be a candidate again. Roger VicotPS deputy for the 11th constituency of the North, also declared himself a candidate in October. On the LR side, it’s Louis Delemerwho will represent the party. For other training courses, candidates have not yet been declared.