Rémi Féraud, next mayor of Paris? Anne Hidalgo announced this Tuesday, November 26, 2024 in The World not to run for re-election in 2026, saying he wants “prepare a calm transmission to support a team, in this case led by Rémi Féraud”.
The latter was quick to embrace the dubbing of the woman he supported from the first hour. “Faithful to our history and our values, I am ready to take up the torch to build with Parisians a democratic, social, ecological project, to bring together to help the left win again”he reacted on X in the morning.
Current president of the majority in the Paris council and socialist senator, portrait of the man who will undoubtedly be one of the main competitors for Paris town hall in 2026.
Elected mayor of Xe in 2008
Little known to the general public, Rémi Féraud is not a novice in politics. At 53, his CV demonstrates a solid anchoring in the capital. A graduate of Sciences Po in 1994, he was elected municipal councilor in 2001 then became president of the Paris socialist group in 2014. A loyal supporter of Anne Hidalgo from the start, he co-directed the councilor's first campaign in 2014, note Le Figaro .
His political career took a leap in 2008, the year he was elected mayor of Xe arrondissement in 2008 on Bertrand Delanoë's list. He became first secretary of the Socialist Federation of Paris, a position he held until 2015 and then from 2018 to 2021. He resigned from his post as mayor to become senator of Paris, in 2017. He was re-elected there in 2023, for a mandate that he combines with that of senator.
Nicolas Bonnet-Oulaldj, deputy mayor of Paris in charge of commerce, crafts, and liberal professions, described to West France “a character that allows dialogue, not likely to create crises and ruptures”. “It is a continuation of what we have been wearing since 2014”continues this member of the majority, former president of the communist group on the Paris council.
“He is someone who discusses, who knows how to arbitrate but gently”says Olivia Polski, socialist deputy in charge of issues relating to human resources, social dialogue and the quality of public service. “He is a grassroots elected official who is very locally anchored but has a national dimension”she adds.
When questioned, the Parisian elected representative of Les Républicains, Nelly Garnier, does not carry it – unsurprisingly – not in her heart. “I have as many things to say about Rémi Féraud as I had to say about Lucie Castets. I think that says it all. We can surely predict the same future as the latter”she says.
Michel Rocard and shooting rooms
As mayor of Xe arrondissement, he was the first Parisian mayor to be in favor of experimenting with a “lower risk drug consumption room” or “shooting room”, welcoming a report on X on November 19 recommending their sustainability in 2025.
He also recently showed himself in favor of the proposed law aimed at regulating furnished tourist accommodation, or to maintain free access to Notre-Dame. He recently mentioned Michel Rocard as “a reference in [son] political commitment » on X.
Presented as “unifier” on the left, Rémi Féraud does not hide his differences with France Insoumise. As when he protests, on “terrorism”. “It is morally and politically impossible to claim to govern France with a party which elected a European deputy so complacent with Islamist terrorism”he asserts on the social network.
A duel with Emmanuel Grégoire?
A position that must, according to Nicolas Bonnet-Oulaldj, be put in the context of the Parisian political situation, where rebellious France is not part of the majority. “Since 2014, they have voted against city budgets and are in opposition”far from the union carried by the NFP at the national level.
Despite the pat on the back from Anne Hidalgo, the race for Paris mayor will be tough. In particular, he will have to triumph over Emmanuel Grégoire, former first councilor of Paris and current deputy spokesperson for the socialist group in the National Assembly, who announced his candidacy on November 19.
Even if the race will open to other contenders within the various parties of the majority – the communist senator Ian Brossat has already announced his candidacy – here is a duel a ready-made duel within the party which has established its headquarters at Paris town hall since 2001.
