who to succeed Anne Hidalgo in Paris?

Five declared candidates …

Rachida Dati, Parisian ambitions intact

His Parisian ambitions had been known for a long time. Also, when Rachida Dati decided to join the government of Gabriel Attal as Minister of Culture on January 11, the question of a candidacy in 2026 arose with all the more force. A mystery that the macronie's war capture was quick to dissipate. “I am elected Parisian. My goal is Paris,” she said on January 17 on RTL.

His candidacy, announced almost two years before the electoral deadline, immediately reshuffled the voting cards. If no alliance with the central bloc has yet been established, the current collaboration of the right and the center within the “common base” government gives weight to the hypothesis of an agreement. Especially since Rachida Dati benefits from new popularity among Renaissance voters.

According to an Ipsos survey for The Parisian published on November 17, the elected official from Paris enjoys 61% good opinion among Macronists compared to 58% among Republicans. More generally, she would make a good mayor for 39% of Parisians, just behind Gabriel Attal who occupies first place in the ranking (42%). Unless it is prevented by the courts, the National Financial Prosecutor's Office having requested in mid-November that the emblematic Minister of Culture and the former boss of Renault-Nissan Carlos Ghosn be tried for corruption and influence peddling . Accusations that the person concerned denies, denouncing a “exploitation of this affair by (s)his political opponents».

Rémi Féraud, Anne Hidalgo’s heir apparent

Mayor of Paris since 2014, Anne Hidalgo will not seek a third term in 2026. A withdrawal announced this Tuesday at Monde which was accompanied by the official dubbing of his successor, Rémi Féraud. “Rémi is a candidate for a left-wing rally and aims to become the next mayor of Paris”affirmed Anne Hidalgo daily, while excluding La France insoumise from this hypothetical alliance.

Faithful among the faithful, the socialist senator has led the municipal majority group, Paris en Commun, for almost ten years. But, while the former first deputy of the mayor and deputy Emmanuel Grégoire also ran as a candidate, Anne Hidalgo indicated that “it will be for the Parisian socialist activists” to decide between the two men. Tough competition for Rémi Féraud, who also benefits from a very low reputation among Parisians: 66% of them do not know him according to the study of the Parisian.

Emmanuel Grégoire, the socialist dissident

Long expected to be the natural successor to Anne Hidalgo, of whom he was the first deputy, Emmanuel Grégoire suddenly left his post last July to run as a candidate in the early legislative elections. Now a deputy, the socialist has not given up his Parisian ambitions. Announcing his candidacy for mayor of Paris on November 19 in The ParisianEmmanuel Grégoire expressed his desire to become “the mayor of the reconciliation of Parisians”. A reconciliation that will not pass a priori by an alliance with La France insoumise. The chosen one invoked “a conflict of values ​​linked to the terrorist attacks of October 7” but also the positioning of the Mélenchonist movement “in the municipal opposition”.

While Rémi Féraud obtained the support of Anne Hidalgo, Emmanuel Grégoire did not hesitate to bring charges against his parliamentary colleague: “Paris is neither an inheritance nor an income from a situation.” While recognizing “an essential player to win” the town hall.

Pierre Yves-Bournazel, the Horizons candidate

Horizons Advisor of Paris, Pierre-Yves Bournazel was propelled into the race for City Hall from October 2023 by Édouard Philippe. “I have clear ideas. Pierre-Yves Bournazel would make a good mayor of Paris. launched the former prime minister and president of the Horizons party during“a friendly meeting” organized around the former deputy.

Pierre-Yves Bournazel confirmed his candidacy in an interview given on January 17 to Figaropresenting himself as “the alternative to the failure of Anne Hidalgo and the archaic methods of Rachida Dati”. “Facing M^me Dati, who chose to be the sniper, I will be the unifier”he launched in the wake of the announcement of the candidacy of the Minister of Culture, whom he accuses of using her portfolio as “step” for Paris.

In 2020, Horizons lined up behind the candidacy of Macronist Benjamin Griveaux before he withdrew due to the broadcast of a video of a sexual nature. He was replaced by Agnès Buzyn, who rose to third place in the poll with 13% of the votes in the first round.

Thierry Mariani (RN), lawyer for the union of rights in Paris

At the head of the Parisian federation of the RN, Thierry Mariani very early on lifted the veil on his ambitions in May 2023. For more than a year, the nationalist MEP has been pushing hard to win his party's nomination in the race. at City Hall. A major challenge given that the RN and its candidate at the time had only obtained 1.4% of the vote in the last municipal elections.

The former Sarkozy minister intends above all to capitalize on the small victory of last July: all the RN candidates – including three Ciottists – exceeded the 5% mark in the 18 constituencies of Paris in the early legislative elections. To obtain his first elected officials in the capital, Thierry Mariani pleads for“union of rights” relying in particular on the reinforcement of Zemmourist troops.

…And many potential candidates

Gabriel Attal, favorite in the polls

Designated favorite in the municipal election by an investigation by Parisian former Prime Minister Gabriel Attal garners 42% good opinion among residents of the capital. A popularity which is confirmed both among voters in his camp (72%) but also among those of the Republicans (46%). Although the leader of the Ensemble pour la République (EPR) group in the National Assembly has never yet expressed his desire to run for mayor of Paris, his notoriety could put Rachida Dati in difficulty.

Yannick Jadot, the “possible scenario” of environmentalists

After years spent between Brussels and Strasbourg, Yannick Jadot moved closer to the capital by winning a senator's seat. The former environmentalist MEP has since let live the rumor of a candidacy for mayor of Paris. “I am a possible scenario”he confided to L’Opinionlast March.

A few days earlier, a survey published in La Tribune Sunday reinforced its currently veiled ambitions: an EELV list led by the former presidential candidate would garner 18% of the votes, compared to 14% for that of the outgoing mayor.

David Belliard (EELV), the choice of continuity

Deputy at the town hall in charge of the transformation of public space, David Belliard could well put himself in the wheel of Yannick Jadot, after a first attempt in the last municipal elections. In 2020, the candidate from Europe Écologie-Les Verts managed to collect 10.8% of the votes. For now, the ecologist has not revealed his ambitions for 2026.

Ian Brossat, the communist who wants to weigh in

The departure of the socialist mayor was the condition of her candidacy. Just last week, the communist senator, Ian Brossat, slowly advanced his pawns at the France bleu microphone: “If Anne Hidalgo is a candidate, the rally will be around her. Otherwise, the question of leadership is open. And yes, in this case, I am available and I feel capable of leading this fight.

But to become the standard-bearer of the left in the capital, the Paris councilor will still have to win the support of the Socialist Party and the Greens. An ambition already thwarted by the dubbing of her colleague senator Rémi Féraud by Anne Hidalgo.

Francis Szpiner, the break with Dati

By slamming the door of Rachida Dati's group on the Paris council last March, Francis Szpiner had already sent a first signal. Senator LR from the capital had finished making the break with the formation of a new group “Republicans and Centrists – Tomorrow Paris!”. In an interview with Figaro the Parisian elected official said he wanted to prepare “alternation” for 2026, without necessarily being a candidate for municipal elections himself.

Before the consular judges meeting in Congress on November 17, the former mayor of the 16th arrondissement nevertheless seemed to take a step further in the race for City Hall. Long invited to deliver the opening speech, Anne Hidalgo finally withdrew, offering the lawyer the perfect opportunity to… “replace”. “It is indeed an ambition that is not foreign to me”he quipped from the platform, opening the door to a possible candidacy for the next municipal elections.

Sophia Chikirou, the LFI hypothesis

Located outside the Parisian majority, La France insoumise (LFI) intends to enter the race alone in the race for mayor of Paris. If no personality has officially been dubbed, the hypothesis of a candidacy of the Paris deputy Sophia Chikirou has begun to emerge. From June 26, 2023, this person very close to Jean-Luc Mélenchon let it be known that his movement “get ready” to become “the first force in Paris” in 2026. Designated coordinator of this preparation, Insoumise however denied being a candidate. “No, I’m not getting ready,” she said, invoking her parliamentary mandate and ensuring that another person was being considered to lead the list. It must also be said that the LFI MP was indicted on September 24 in the affair of Jean-Luc Mélenchon's campaign accounts in 2017, with justice suspecting Mediascop, her communications consulting company, of having overcharged for certain services. .

In 2020, the LFI list, led by Danielle Simonnet, obtained only 4.6% of the votes. A figure that the Insoumis hope to increase after the good results of the movement in the north-east of Paris in the last national elections. For the moment, the dream performance seems difficult to achieve with Sophia Chikirou as head of the list: the MP only convinces 10% of the capital's inhabitants according to a survey by the Parisian.