Will go or will not go? Anne Hidalgo has still not commented on her candidacy for the 2026 municipal elections in Paris. In the meantime, the alternative candidacies of socialist elected officials are becoming clearer.
The Anne Hidalgo-Rachida Dati duel predicted by commentators since the last municipal elections in 2020 may not take place. The mayor of Paris has maintained mystery about her intentions for months.
She remains evasive but lets loved ones “prepare”. So, in the socialist ranks, there is excitement and applications are multiplying. “There are many of them,” adds an informant.
At the beginning of November, during her regular lunch with her close guard, she gave her preference to Rémi Féraud, several sources confirmed to BFM Paris Île-de-France confirming the Parisian's revelations.
A discreet man who must split the armor
The socialist senator, former mayor of the 10th arrondissement and boss of the Paris group in common on the Paris council confirms his interest. “I sent a sign,” he assures.
Described as “discreet”, “very fine”, “very intelligent” and “very good maneuverer”. However, he will have to “break through the armor” to meet the Parisians. “He never sought notoriety,” continues a source.
“He is preparing for it like others,” sweeps the entourage of the mayor who assures that Anne Hidalgo has “great confidence”. “He is one of the elected officials to whom she is very close.” And according to a source, “he holds the rope”. But the fact that Rémi Féraud is pushed, “[n’est pas]a disavowal for Lamia El Aaraje”, specifies the mayor's entourage. “You have to be the right candidate at the right time”, assures Rémi Féraud to BFM Paris Île-de-France.
The question Emmanuel Grégoire
Former first deputy, Emmanuel Grégoire, 46, became a deputy last summer. Discussions with the mayor of Paris were broken off. His election as deputy allowed “an exit from the top” while “their relations had deteriorated”, assures an elected official close to the two.
At the beginning of September, Emmanuel Grégoire said “think” about municipal elections in Paris. In the Ipsos study commissioned by Le Parisien and published this Monday, it is the socialist candidate, after Anne Hidalgo, who would make the best mayor. Rémi Féraud only comes third.
But 55% of those questioned do not know Anne Hidalgo's former first deputy well enough to give an opinion. The spokesperson for the PS deputies continues his field campaign by increasing towing operations like this Sunday in the 12th arrondissement on the Aligre market. “The difference of 10 points in notoriety with Rémi Féraud shows that Emmanuel Grégoire's pre-campaign is bearing fruit,” assures a source favorable to the former first deputy.
However, in the corridors of City Hall, his “lack of fidelity” and “loyalty to the mayor” “disqualifies” him according to several sources from having the support of the socialists.
He is also criticized for his “too Faurist” positioning within the PS. Anne Hidalgo is not on this political line, particularly with her positions on La France Insoumise and Jean-Luc Mélenchon. “They weakened Emmanuel,” regrets a member of the majority.
The Lamia El Araaje card
The first socialist federal secretary in Paris Lamia El Araaje, 37, is also being considered. “She’s thinking about it,” assures a source. “A hypothesis which existed in the midst of other hypotheses”, we confirm in the corridors of City Hall. But his “tough” character is criticized by many elected officials.
“She is whole,” say those around her. “Anne Hidalgo needed fighters because she did not feel sufficiently defended by Emmanuel,” points out an elected official. A role that the disability and town planning assistant plays very well by being one of the spokespersons for the mayor of the capital. “You have to make people like you to be mayor,” shouts one elected official.
However, the elected official will be “loyal” and “faithful” to the mayor and will put herself behind the person designated by Anne Hidalgo in the event that the mayor does not run again. She will have her “paw” on the program as the first federal. Anne Hidalgo also entrusted him with the job of piloting proposals with the “Paris 2030” consultation.
Two other tracks
Pierre Rabadan, 44 years old, sports assistant and Éric Lejoindre, 44 years old, mayor of the 18th arrondissement of Paris are also cited among the potential candidates. The first is partly credited with the success of the Paris 2024 Games. The two elected officials are also the spokespersons for Anne Hidalgo. These are not the most compelling hypotheses.
An announcement perhaps in early 2025
“There is internal pressure to delay this announcement,” assures a source in the corridors of City Hall. “If she had wanted to go back, Anne Hidalgo would have fought harder to be visible during the Olympics,” continues this source. However, the mayor had her busy schedule this summer with numerous interviews with the national and international press. According to several sources, she is expected to make her announcement early next year.
“As long as she has not announced her decision, these are only hypotheses,” recalls those around her to BFM Paris Île-de-France.
But everyone urges her to wait, especially if she plans to return, so as not to lose her authority. Otherwise, the announcement must be made early enough for a candidate to emerge.
“She has no interest in announcing it now,” assured her first socialist deputy Patrick Bloche in October. “No candidate is natural. I think the best candidate is Anne Hidalgo for 2026”, he explained again in September to BFM Paris Ile-de-France to show his loyalty to the mayor while ensuring that he “does not know her decision “.
“If she goes, she will be a winner”
As for her departure for a foundation, the mayor of Paris denied it. “Anne Hidalgo and Michael Bloomberg saw each other on the sidelines of a trip by the mayor of Paris to the UN in September, as they do every time the mayor goes to New York. For several years, they have been discussing the role of cities in the fight against climate change. Her relations with Michael Bloomberg date back to 2004 when he was mayor of New York. They also both chaired the C40. Anne Hidalgo has not announced her intentions regarding 2026. The mayor of Paris categorically denies this rumor,” said those around her at the end of October.
“I'm not talking about 2026. You know what? In politics, there's something. I learned it from experience. Time matters. The moment matters. It's not the moment”, she explained in August while traveling for the inauguration of Paris Plage at the microphone of BFM Paris Ile-de-France.
When will the right time be? And what will be his final decision? “There is no question if the mayor goes there. If she goes there, she will be a winner,” assures a source.
Nicolas Dumas with Florent Bascoul
