Lyon, France – Jean-Michel Aulas, a prominent candidate in the upcoming 2026 municipal elections, presented the entirety of his program and its estimated cost on Friday, February 20, 2026. The announcement, made three weeks before the first round of voting, was largely overshadowed by the aftermath of the fatal accident involving nationalist activist Quentin Deranque in Lyon and the subsequent tribute march held the following day.
Aulas Leads Polls, Program Details Emerge
Despite the broader context, Aulas remains a significant figure in the electoral race, currently leading in the polls ahead of his rival, Grégory Doucet. During his press conference, Aulas detailed new measures across various sectors, including education, health, democracy, culture, and sports, while reaffirming existing proposals. However, the implementation of his program continues to draw scrutiny, particularly concerning its funding and the unspecified municipal budget savings he has announced.
“Pragmatic, Far from Ideology”
In his introductory remarks, Aulas described his program as “pragmatic” and “far from the ideology that has guided us recently,” a clear reference to the environmentalists without naming them directly. He emphasized that the project was developed in consultation with experts and is the “fruit of several months of work.” To underscore this point, he highlighted several civil society actors who contributed to the program’s development: Bruno Lartigue (GL events group), Nicolas Millet (former industrial development director at CCI Lyon Métropole), Éric Lafond (former municipal election candidate for Modem in Lyon in 2008), Régis Favier (manager at Orange), and Catherine Voisin-Moulinier (constitutional law lecturer at ISFA). These professionals collaborated on the 30-page program booklet, which is being distributed in Lyon’s markets this weekend.
Aulas stated that this project aims to address “the decline of Lyon, which has harmed everyone.” The former Olympique Lyonnais president expressed his desire to “restore the city to its rightful place among European metropolises.”
New Measures on Security, Housing, and Culture
During his press conference and within the 30-page booklet, the “Cœur lyonnais” movement unveiled additional measures. If elected, Aulas plans to organize an annual citizen consultation for the city and one in each district, totaling ten such events per year.
Regarding cleanliness, the candidate proposes that responsibility be transferred to district mayors. While the budget and personnel will remain under the Métropole’s control, operational implementation will be managed more locally.
On security, in addition to the previously promised 600 cameras, Jean-Michel Aulas announced further measures: the creation of a canine brigade and the organization of “security forums” in collaboration with the state by summer 2026. The project to establish a 10-million-euro police headquarters was also clarified. Bruno Lartigue explained, “It is not intended to consolidate all municipal or national police forces but to host security decision-makers in addition to the urban surveillance center, which needs upgrading.”
The candidate also detailed new proposals for culture (“Villa Médicis,” more culture in the districts), housing (revision of the local urban plan, “unblocking constraints” on construction projects, “priority for student housing”), the economy (an action plan for commerce), and education (school rehabilitation plan).
Financing Remains a Point of Contention
Repeatedly questioned by the press, Jean-Michel Aulas maintained that his project is “quantified, financed, and guarantees the financial stability of the city because we have a certain level of expertise in this area.”
However, the full extent of his program’s costs has not been detailed, leaving his claims to be taken on faith. His main opponent estimates the new spending envelope to exceed 110 million euros per year. In response, the Aulas campaign has consistently asserted that operational savings will be realized and budgets reallocated.
Aulas was unable to specify to reporters the exact savings he intends to achieve. He stated, “There will be no tax increases; the budget will be managed with a certain number of resources and savings that will allow the budget to be balanced. When you take over a situation, there are a certain number of hidden costs; through new complementary resources, we will be able to balance the budget without any problem.”
Regarding the proposed free public transport (TCL), school canteens, and extracurricular activities, Aulas’s team did not emphasize these costly measures during the press conference or in the press kit, although they appear in the official program. “We wanted to highlight new measures,” Aulas said with a smile, raising doubts about these free initiatives. His team, however, insisted, “Not at all.”
Source: https://actu.fr/auvergne-rhone-alpes/lyon_69123/lyon-municipales-2026-jean-michel-aulas-presente-son-programme-la-question-du-financement-interroge_63876820.html
