Paris Municipal Elections 2026: Left Alliance Challenges Rachida Dati’s Frontrunner Status
Paris, January 12, 2026 – As candidacies multiply on the right for the 2026 Paris municipal elections, a newly formed left-wing alliance is putting pressure on Rachida Dati, who was previously considered the favorite. Recent poll results indicate a highly competitive race for the Hôtel de Ville.
A United Front on the Left
An “historic” agreement has been reached among left-wing parties: the Socialist Party (PS), the French Communist Party (PCF), the Ecologist Party, and the Place publique party have united under a common list led by a Socialist candidate for the first round of the election. This decision aims to counter Rachida Dati, who was seen as a favorite in what David Belliard, a withdrawn Ecologist candidate, described as a “difficult election with enormous stakes.” The primary goal of this alliance is to keep the capital under left-wing governance. However, La France Insoumise (LFI) has not joined this alliance.
Rachida Dati’s Position Weakened
Even with an incomplete alliance, the left’s strategy could prove effective, as Rachida Dati also faces a competing list. The right-wing candidate, who was expected to benefit from the support of the Republican Party and the presidential camp, has seen her support dwindle. While she remains the LR candidate, she is no longer backed by the Macronist party, which has opted to support another candidate. Dati’s position was further weakened by the announcement of her referral to the criminal court for corruption and influence peddling in September 2026, which could lead to her ineligibility.
Key Candidates for the Paris Mayoral Race in 2026
Left-wing Candidates
Initially long, the list of left-wing candidates has shortened. Emmanuel Grégoire, the PS candidate and current first deputy mayor of Paris, leads a unity list that includes the Ecologists (who initially chose David Belliard) and the PCF (who had opted for Ian Brossat). Saïd Benmouffok of Place Publique has also joined this alliance.
Beyond this alliance, one significant left-wing candidacy remains: that of LFI, led by Sophia Chikirou. Her campaign could be significantly impacted by legal issues; she is accused of attempting an unauthorized transfer as president of Le Média after leaving the position. Chikirou is scheduled to appear before the 13th criminal chamber of the Paris Judicial Court in May for fraud, two months after the municipal elections. This trial, concerning alleged acts committed in July 2018, could prove costly for LFI, which is on the verge of qualifying for the second round and influencing the final outcome.
Center and Right-wing Candidates
Other parties in the Paris municipal elections are fielding their own candidates, potentially splitting their forces. Pierre-Yves Bournazel is the candidate for the Horizons party, supported by the presidential coalition (Renaissance and MoDem). Rachida Dati represents the right and a segment of the Macronist camp, despite weakened support. However, another LR member, Parisian Senator Francis Szpiner, has also entered the race.
Far-right Candidates
Thierry Mariani is the National Rally (RN) candidate, aiming for the Paris mayoralty with a far-right alliance including the RN and Eric Ciotti’s UDR. Sarah Knafo, a close associate of Eric Zemmour and a prominent figure in his Reconquête! party, is also a candidate. She hopes to outperform Jordan Bardella’s party in the capital.
Tight Results Predicted: What the Polls Say about the 2026 Paris Municipal Elections
A left-wing alliance led by Emmanuel Grégoire (PS, Ecologists, PCF) would come out on top in the first round of the 2026 Paris municipal elections, according to an Elabe-Berger-Levrault poll for La Tribune Dimanche and BFMTV, published on Saturday, January 10, 2026. This alliance would secure 33% of the vote, placing Rachida Dati in second with 26%. These two “favorite” lists would significantly outpace the presidential camp’s candidate, Pierre-Yves Bournazel (16%), Sophia Chikirou (11%), and Sarah Knafo (9%).
The formation of a left-wing alliance in the first round thus challenges Rachida Dati’s previously assumed frontrunner status. While the mayor of the 7th arrondissement of Paris consistently qualifies for the second round in polls, she is no longer necessarily in the lead in the first round.
In the second round, a duel between Emmanuel Grégoire and Rachida Dati is expected to be extremely close. In a scenario where all lists currently exceeding 10% remain (a four-way race), Emmanuel Grégoire and Rachida Dati would be almost tied (36% and 35% respectively), according to the same poll. In this scenario, Pierre-Yves Bournazel would get 17% and Sophia Chikirou 12%.
Another tested hypothesis: Pierre-Yves Bournazel and Sophia Chikirou withdraw, leaving the field open to the two favorites. Here, it’s a perfect tie, with 50% for each candidate. The pollster also tested another hypothesis: Sophia Chikirou remains, and Pierre-Yves Bournazel withdraws (a three-way race). In this configuration, Rachida Dati would have the advantage with 47% of the votes, compared to 42% for Emmanuel Grégoire and 11% for the LFI candidate. Finally, if Sarah Knafo surpasses 10% and the second round results in a three-way race between Eric Zemmour’s party candidate, Emmanuel Grégoire, and Rachida Dati (with Pierre-Yves Bournazel and Sophia Chikirou withdrawing), Emmanuel Grégoire would then have the advantage: 48%, against 41% for Rachida Dati and 11% for Sarah Knafo.
Elabe-Berger-Levrault notes that the poll was “largely conducted before the announcement of Sarah Knafo’s candidacy on the evening of January 7.” The study also highlights another dimension of the election: the image conveyed by the different candidates. In Paris, Emmanuel Grégoire benefits from the best image. With the exception of Pierre-Yves Bournazel, the other candidates have a very divisive image, regardless of their political affiliation.
Electoral System Changes in Paris
The Parliament definitively adopted the reform of the municipal electoral system in Paris, Lyon, and Marseille on Thursday, July 10. Previously, voters cast ballots for a list of councilors in each arrondissement or sector. The top candidates on these lists would then enter the city council and elect the mayor. With the new system, voters will directly elect their municipal councilors, as in all other French communes. A separate election will then be held for arrondissement mayors on the same day, using two different ballot boxes.
The Constitutional Council must still approve this reform, particularly concerning the majority bonus of 25% instead of 50%. In all other French communes, the winning list receives 50% of the seats on the municipal council. If the Constitutional Council agrees, this will be reduced to 25% for these three major cities, making it a national exception.
Source: https://www.linternaute.com/actualite/politique/7706171-municipales-2026a-paris-une-alliance-inedite-a-gauche-face-a-dati-les-resultats-des-sondages/
